#(i was also going to bring up the fact that Flint can also equip more stick items than just the ones that appear in chapter 1

[rustedleopard]

source on Flint?

The dirt.

Okay, joke answer aside, I'll put the source under the cut...

I'm going to assume that you're likely referring to the fun fact tidbit that I posted yesterday about Flint originally intended to be involved in the Jealous Bass boss fight.

The Cutting Room Floor has an archive of stuff that was cut from Mother 3 but still exists as data within the game. If you scroll down to Flint, you'll see that he has unused sprites for dodging the train, which is an event that happens in chapter 4.

And if you put Flint into your party as the second party member in debug mode then go to the train, he will dodge the train with that sprite animation. Compare that to Claus, who when programmed to be the second party member, does dodge the train like intended (and Boney, as the third party member, does not) but does not display the proper animation for this motion, we can see that while the behavior of jumping out of the way is programmed into the second party member, they only have the proper sprite for the scene if they're supposed to be there. This tells us that Flint was supposed to be involved in Chapter 4, at least up until the train, but was cut late into development. The only thing that stops Flint from jumping out of the way is the fact that he isn't there.

We also have a cut animation of what appears to be Flint clinging onto the airship, which is what Lucas and the rest of his party does at the end of chapter 5. Now, can I say with absolute certainty that this is what this animation is intended for? No, because I wasn't on the development team. But considering how closely that sprite of Flint resembles the rest of the party in that scene:

And how close Chapters 4 and 5 are to each other, as well as how the Spaceworld (1999) Earthbound 64 trailer* (apologies for the blurriness, but TCRF does have a clearer image of this scene on their website) does show Flint, along with Lucas, Claus, Duster, and Boney clinging to an airship, it's easy to deduce that's it's highly likely that Flint was intended to be in the party at least up until the party separation at the end of Chapter 5.

Also, so no one could say that that animation of Flint was actually supposed to be for Chapter 7 when Lucas and company were clinging onto the bird cage, here's a screenshot of that. You can see that if Flint was involved here, his animation would've had him hanging on from the wrong direction (apologies for the Lucas mooning).

[Also as a small aside: while not exactly evidence on its own but something worth pointing out, there is a notable difficulty spike in Chapter 4 when there's only Lucas and Boney in the party. The enemies at this point in the game the can wipe your party quite easily if you're not careful, and I always struggled against them even in the standard mode and I'm sure I'm not the only person who experienced this (while the game tells you not to mess with the Cattlesnakes, there's nothing to stop the Horsantulas and Ostrelephants from running right at you and initiating a battle). Having a heavy hitter in your party like Flint would've made the chimeras outside of Club Titiboo as well as the Jealous Bass easier. Again though, I'm not going to use my experiences as evidence because it could just be that I'm not good at the game.]

So, we have a timeframe that says that Flint was supposed to be in the party from around the beginning of Chapter 4 to at least the end of Chapter 5, which is well within the timeframe that the Jealous Bass boss fight occurs. Now, of course, just because there's evidence that Flint was supposed to be in the party for Chapters 4 and 5 doesn't mean that he would've been involved in the Jealous Bass boss fight with a 100% certainty. Flint could've been rendered incapable of participating in the attic dungeon (and, subsequently, that fight) for one reason or another. Maybe he gets locked in the bathroom while showering? Who knows? While it would've been an odd story direction, I wasn't the one making those sorts of decisions, so I can't say with absolute unshakable faith that he was going to be there. And for that, I apologize. I have changed the wording of that post a bit so it's a bit more ambiguous. There's nothing I can do for versions that have been reblogged unfortunately, but at least the base post reflects that. But there's at least enough evidence to prove that this is likely what was intended to happen.

* While I do not consider Earthbound 64 and Mother 3 the same games, it's undeniable that Earthbound 64 did lay the grounds for the direction that Mother 3 went in. If the only piece of evidence I had for Flint clinging to the airship was from that trailer alone, I would not have used it.

[alexwatchesshows]

Black Sails IV (S1E4) review

Spoilers for up to and including E4.

Boat episode! Boat episode! Boat episode!

But more on that later. We start with Gates having a little bit of an identity crisis with the whole "captain Gates" thing. Honestly, the past few episodes have shown that he's a really good quartermaster, but might not be quite cut out for being a captain. It's clear that Flint trusts him and believes in him, but I think a lot of the decision around putting Gates in charge comes from the fact that he's unquestionably loyal to Flint, not in his potential as a captain. On the plus side, Billy does seem to be doing very well as a quartermaster. It's clear that he's popular with the crew, as they all cheer for Gate's suggestion of him. Unfortunately for Billy, this whole promotion has come at a bad time for him personally, as he's just been told about the whole Maria Aleyne thing (maybe not the whole story but still concerning) and he's still feeling conflicted about the note (even if it worked out in the end). He'd clearly make a good quartermaster on the working with the crew side of things, but it'll also be his job to hold Flint accountable, which he's maybe less prepared/equipped to do. Also, there are maybe some things he can never change about the crew, like the "fuck tent" (an unnecessary detail imo, but I guess it helps with that point), but he still ends up getting them to do the job very efficiently, according to De Groot, which is saying a lot (De Groot has evidently Seen Some Shit and also doesn't seem very easily impressed). Speaking of De Groot, he is one of the only people who sees right through Flint. Flint's able to whip the crew up into a frenzy, talk Gates and Billy onto his side and also convince Eleanor that his wild idea could be profitable, but he can't convince De Groot to care about anything other than the ship and the safety of the crew which, honestly, good for him. I do wish we got a little more of De Groot's general practicality because it provides an interesting contrast to Flint's dreams and manipulation/motivation of the crew, but I guess his POV would be a lot less interesting for just that reason.

The careening of the ship was a very interesting way to both really involve the physicality of the ship and the practical elements of working it and to show the crew on a day to day basis. We see the crew just hanging out, something that we don't see a lot of but really helps to emphasise that these pirates, who have been painted as "monsters" by mainstream society, are really just people. I especially liked the detail of Morely (who's previously just been an obstacle to Flint's plans) getting on well with Randall and going to bring Betsy some barnacles. Unfortunately, another painfully human element of these pirates is that they slack off sometimes and that even Billy can't talk them out of it and, when dealing with something as physically massive as the ship, it can have fatal consequences. The ominous creaking was a nice touch, and honestly the whole scene was very well-done, but I also have to add that I genuinely couldn't watch it the first time. For those who may be worried, or who didn't notice, Betsy does escape and is seen running off across the beach. We never see her again, so I like to imagine she got adopted by a fishmonger and lived happily ever after.

Before I get into the rest of the whole ship scene, I need to cover the little bit of Flint and Silver development that we get. Silver is starting to struggle with his whole cook facade, something that I think we can assume Flint knows about, given that he figured out the stolen page thing, but that Flint needs to help him maintain so that Silver can keep giving him the schedule's info and nobody ever realises that Flint framed Singleton. As a result, Flint needs to help Silver cook the pig. Silver also has a point about Flint, a pirate captain, somehow knowing how to cook a pig (more on that later sort of), but Flint is not willing to give Silver any information on anything, or to let him give any advice on the crew (probably a smart move at the moment). Silver's got to learn that his regular tricks just don't work with Flint (I think it's the autism).

In light of this, Silver's move when it comes to the ship tipping is interesting. Flint's willingness to immediately put himself in danger (even going as far as to tell De Groot to save the ship even if it means killing him) to save members of his crew does shed an interesting light on his character too, but it feels like more of a confirmation of something (like he was kind of on the fence in my mind and this just brought him down on one side), not a genuinely out of character moment. Silver, on the other hand, is yet to show any signs of caring about the crew or the ship besides what they can do for him. It is, therefore, interesting that he also brings himself into that whole conflict. In my mind, there are multiple potential reasons for this, and honestly, even knowing the full range of what happens to this character across the whole show, I still can't decide what his motivation was. The ideas I've come up with (ranging from least to most critical of Silver) are: a) he knew he could help (note him looking at the cleaver) and genuinely wanted to save a life, b) he was worried that someone else would notice the cleaver and call him out on his inaction, c) he knew that Flint dying would make his position more precarious, so only did what he did after Flint put himself in danger so he wouldn't die, or d) he knew that putting himself in such an emotionally intense moment with Flint would make him more likely to trust him and help the crew feel more positively towards him. It could be any combination of those things, or something else I haven't thought of, I genuinely don't know. It's also worth noting that, even if Silver did what he did for a genuinely selfless reason, he still wasn't willing to get too involved or put himself in too much danger, as he just threw down the cleaver and stepped away (I mean, maybe he didn't feel qualified to make that decision, but still). Then there's the question of Flint and Morely: did he choose to save Randall over Morely, not realise Morely was there, or deliberately push Morely under? Again, I'm not sure about this one, but I also don't know if I saw everything so if someone has any information I'm missing, please let me know. It's also worth noting that Billy is the one who goes looking for Morely, as he is potentially the only one who knows both the full extent of M's distrust for F, and also knows of F's willingness to kill people who get in his was (and in the way of his mission). On a more positive note, at least this time Flint was dressed for getting covered in blood.

Also, we need a moment of appreciation for Gates and Billy's father/son relationship. The fact that it's implied that Gates talked to De Groot before he even talked to Billy because he knew that Billy would be feeling guilty about it and also just generally him calling Billy son. I honestly just love them. There's also some insight into how both of them see Flint. Gates seems resigned to having little to no control over him, as he just tells Billy that "nobody could have done that" when Billy suggests he might have been able to convince Flint to careen the ship somewhere safer, whereas Billy, although he feels more of a responsibility to stop Flint than Gates does, is more afraid of him than Gates is. Between the two of them, I think we're just learning that no one can control Flint. In fact, the only person who ever seems to have gotten Flint to do what they want is Silver (by burning the page and forcing Flint to keep him alive). This definitely won't go wrong at all.

Speaking of Flint, we get more insight on him (from here on out, I'm going to commit to calling Flint insight Flintsight). We start with that sex scene that I wouldn't necessarily call emotionless, it's just that the emotions are... not the ones you'd expect. Flint doesn't seem mentally there at all, and Miranda seems like she's looking for some kind of connection with him that she knows she won't find. There's a lot of debate around the nature of their relationship, but I would cite this scene as some fairly solid evidence that there's basically no sexual attraction there. Even afterwards, Flint's obvious hesitance to put his arms round Miranda and the sense that he doesn't really know what to do suggests to me that this isn't something that either of them do often. On the other hand, Flint giving Miranda a forehead kiss felt much more comfortable and natural for them. Now, thrown into the mix, we get Thomas Hamilton, the guy who we don't know and only know of through Richard Guthrie's sensationalised gossip story of what happened. It does provide a somewhat viable explanation for how Miranda, a woman from a fairly obviously upper class background, and Flint, a man who doesn't seem to be from a similar background, ended up on Nassau together, but Miranda and Flint's earlier discussion about Thomas suggests that both of them feel too strongly about their old lives and the role Thomas played in them for the situation to have been both of them just recklessly hurting him and risking their respective social standings. The other thing that this backstory plays into is Miranda's obvious sense of loneliness. When she says "this life we've been living here, it doesn't feel like living anymore", it feels like a confirmation of everything we've seen of her so far, but it's also clear from what we've seen of Flint when he isn't with Miranda that, regardless of what he tells her (or even tells himself), he's now fully entrenched in the workings of Nassau and isn't getting out any time soon. We also see more of her isolation from the inner-islanders with the child throwing rocks at her and calling her a witch, and her sad harpsichord music. In light of all of this, her teaming up with Richard Guthrie feels like less of a betrayal of Flint and more like one last attempt to get her old life back. Richard Guthrie, however, does not have me sold on his whole need to protect Eleanor thing. I don't quite know what his motivations are but I'm not buying parental love as one of them. Regardless of R Guthrie's motivations, we now have another scheme and secret. Yay more secrets! I have no idea how this could ever go wrong!

Richard Guthrie, whatever his motivations, does seem really set on stopping Eleanor, however he does it. We do get a sense that Eleanor is the kind of person who sets her mind on a goal and won't go back on it (see Hornigold's concern about her use of authority regarding Max and Vane), even to the extent of betraying Mr Scott, something that evidently hurts both of them. This does feel like another episode of Eleanor and her fathers. It does look like Eleanor really appreciates her father's praise (and is subsequently really hurt by his betrayal of her) but also isn't willing to afford Mr Scott the level of trust that she wants her father to give her. Then there's the element of Richard literally owning Mr Scott, something that the show will not let us forget (as we absolutely should not), reminding us through Richard's weird monologue about Mr Scott "earning himself an education". Despite this, it is clear that Mr Scott does care for Eleanor, as his backing Richard does eventually hinge on a desire to help her. Flint, on the other hand, is an interesting contrast to RG and MS, as they just start to egg each other on. Flint urges Eleanor to drink to "(their) endeavour" and tells her that "nobody will believe it's possible until we show them", convincing her that the seemingly impossible can be achieved. They definitely make an interesting pairing.

While all this shit is going down, the Ranger crew are having a rough time of it. I don't really want to discuss the whole Max scene in and of itself, as honestly it does feel too graphic and, other than emphasising Max's resilience, doesn't really add a huge amount to the show. It is interesting to see how Jack and Anne respond differently to this, though, as Anne sees the whole situation as fundamentally wrong, whereas Jack seems to be stuck on Max's value as an asset. This is probably the first time I've seen the two of them at odds, and the first time that I've seen Anne's gender become a point of conflict in her life as a pirate. Jack isn't made completely unlikeable, though, as his whole "you'd be an asset to any crew" talk with Anne is quite sweet.

Vane, meanwhile, is really not coping well. Jack notes that he's "graduated to opium", and he's also seeing a random man in places (on my first watch I wasn't sure whether the man was actually there or not, but I'm now fairly certain he's a hallucination). There are hints of his backstory with a particularly distinctive scar also being linked to the man, and hallucination Eleanor's thing with "the weakness behind the mask". We also see him get into shit with Noonan's gang (which we probably should have seen coming), and see that even in the state he's in he's still a formidable fighter, with a somewhat feral style (and also look in his current state). Even in Nassau, though, killing a bunch of people in the street, even if they were going to kill you, doesn't feel like a fantastic move.

[orangeoctopi7]

Champions: Part 2

I said when I wrote part 1 for Stanuary last year that I planned on continuing this... it just took way longer than I expected. 

Well, now I get to use part two for @stanuary 2021!

Chapter 2

“Gather ‘round everyone!” Linkara called in his team one morning. “I just got the dossier on my first opponent in the Contest of Champions.” 

Jaeris, his coach, Dr. Linksano, his science expert, Pollo, his producer, and Harvey Finevoice, the general voice of reason, were all gathered in Linkara’s office. 

“Who’s the guy?” Harvey asked.

“A man named Stanley Pines.”. Linkara answered, passing out photocopies of the documents.

“Huh, so they set you up with another first-timer.” Jaeris observed, scanning over the information. “He even comes from an alternate Earth a lot like yours.”

“So, they have you fighting a sextagenarian old man who runs a tourist trap?” Linksano asked incredulously.

“He’s a sextagenarian old man who destroyed an interdimensional chaos demon.” Linkara corrected. “He wouldn’t be in the Contest of Champions if he wasn’t a serious contender. Besides, I’m a middle-aged guy who reviews comic books on the internet, I’m hardly one to judge what this guy’s day-job is.”

“So who gets to choose the battle this time?” Pollo asked. 

“We don’t know yet.” Linkara answered. “I think they’re supposed to let us know later today. But with the interdimensional temporal differences, we might not find out until next week.” 

One of the Temlin’s hooded envoys appeared in the middle of the room, interrupting the discussion. 

“Or, y’know, we could find out right now.” 

* * *

Meanwhile, in Gravity Falls....

It had been a few months since Stan’s preliminary round in the Contest of Champions, and the elder Pines twins were back at the Mystery Shack for the summer. The Temlins had left them with a sort of “open channel” for communication, which Ford had connected to his monitoring equipment.

It’d been so long since they’d heard anything, that Stan was beginning to wonder if the whole thing wasn’t some sort of elaborate joke. Then one day, while Mabel was making breakfast, the alarm went off, and that creepy hooded hologram from before showed up in the middle of the kitchen.

Poor Mabel was so startled she almost dropped her pitcher of Mabel Juice, and Stan nearly made a move for his nearest gun before he realized what it was.

“Ford, that thing’s back!” He yelled.

The old researcher had already been rushing to the kitchen after he heard the alarm go off, and he appeared in the doorway just a second after Stan yelled. A still-sleepy Dipper was not far behind him.

“What’s going on?” the boy asked, rubbing crusties out of his eyes. 

“It’s that stinkin’ contest thing I told you about!” Stan explained. “They finally remembered I exist, huh?”

“It’s all due to temporal differences.” Ford assured him. “I’m honestly surprised we didn’t have to wait longer.”

“Champion Stanley Pines, the time has come to set your first contest.” The hologram informed him. “For this round, you have been randomly selected to choose the nature of your competition.”

“Oh, really?” Stan grinned and slipped into conman mode. “Well, I’m really happy to hear that! Why don’t you have a seat and join us for breakfast while we talk?”

“Stanley, it’s a hologram.” Ford pointed out, but the Temlin emissary sat down at their little table.

“Why don’t you pour the nice alien hologram some Mabel Juice, Pumpkin.” Stan suggested. Mabel beamed and poured a tall glass for their guest. 

“Oh boy, you’re in for a treat! I added extra Fizz Flints this time!”

Just as Ford was about to point out that, as a hologram, their guest couldn’t even pick up the glass, much less drink it, the Temlin emissary stared intently at the drink, and it began to empty, almost like an invisible straw was sipping it away.

“Incredible. We have explored the vast reaches of time and space. We understand the most intricate machinations of the universe. And yet we have never encountered a beverage like this.”

“Aww, thanks!” Mabel accepted their compliment graciously. “There’s more where that came from!” She filled the glass again.

“Heheh, yeah, sure there is sweetie.” Stan scooted her away and took a seat opposite of their guest. “Don’t give ‘em too much at once, kiddo, we want ‘em to savor it!”

Mabel nodded sagely. “That is so true. Let me know when you’re ready for more, Mr. Temlin.”

“Alright, alright, you kids run along. Me and Bigwig here are gonna talk business.”

The kids left with only minor protests. Ford was still standing in the doorway, trying to wrap his head around what he’d just witnessed. 

“Ford, didn’t you have some sort of big project you were workin’ on?” Stan asked his brother pointedly.

“Hmm? Oh, no, nothing particularly urgent, at least….” 

Stan shot his brother a significant glare.

“Oh! Oh, yes, I do have er, temporal disturbances to, ah, compare. Just… let me know when you’re done.”

“Now.” Stan said slyly as he sat across from the Temlin Emissary and steepled his fingers. “About this competition…”

*  *  *

“Champion Linkara, the time has come to set your first contest.” The hooded hologram declared. “While for this round, the decision ultimately rests with your opponent, you will be granted time to meet together and discuss the conditions of the competition. Speak aloud your readiness to begin the meeting, and it shall be done.”

“What, right now?” Harvey wondered incredulously.

“Eh, no time like the present.” Linkara reasoned. “So, is he coming here, or am I going there?”

“Champion Stanley Pines has agreed to meet in this location. He has also requested permission to bring a guest. Do you find this acceptable?”

“Sure, why not.” Linkara shrugged.

With a shimmer, the hologram disappeared, and two nearly identical old men took its place. They were both tall, broad-shouldered, and square jawed, with large ears, bulbous noses, and fluffy grey hair. One word a navy blue hoodie, the other a dark brown fisherman’s coat and a red beanie.

“Huh, not what I was expecting.” The one in the beanie grunted. “Just looks like someone’s basement. I thought the file said this guy had a spaceship.”

“I do, it’s undergoing some repairs right now.” Linkara stepped forward and extended a hand in greeting. “So, which one of you is Stanley Pines?”

The one in the hoodie gave him a piercing look, but the one in the beanie grinned and accepted the handshake. “That’s me. You can just call me Stan. This here’s my brother, Ford.”

Ford was looking around at Linkara’s gathered team. His gaze lingered on Linksano and Harvey. “Triplets, I presume? Incredible, what are the odds that two Champions from sets of multiples would end up competing against each other?”

“Whaddaya mean, triplets?” Harvey asked in confusion.

“Oh, come on, you three look even more alike than me an’ Ford, and we’re twins!” Stan scoffed.

“No we don’t!” Linksano protested. “I wear goggles, and he wears a hat!”

“What hat?” Linkara asked innocently.

“Yeah, you two wish you were as good lookin’ as me.” Harvey quipped. 

“Er, weren’t we supposed to be setting the terms of your first match?” Pollo reminded them.

“Remarkable! Are you a sentient robot?” Ford leaned down for a closer look.

“Yes, and like most sentient beings, I don’t enjoy being stared at.”

“O-oh, of course!” Ford quickly folded his arms behind his back. “I apologize.”

“Uh, anyway, about that contest thing…” Stan steered the conversation back to the point. “I already talked with those Temlin guys, and it’s gonna be dirty boxing! They promised us a ring an’ everything!”

“What!?” Linkara protested. “How the h___ is dirty boxing a fair and reasonable battle? It has dirty in the name!”

“No hard feelin’s, kid, but you’re half my age, I need all the advantages I can get!” Stan defended. “‘Sides, I’ve read your file, I know you’ve got some experience fightin’ hand-to-hand.”

“I’ve read your file too, you used to be a professional prize fighter!”

“Tch, yeah, when I was in my 20’s. An’ it didn’t last long, believe me.”

“I thought the whole point of this meeting was to discuss the terms of the fight and come to an agreement!”

“Eh, that’s more of a formality than anything.” Jaeris clarified. “Since the final decision rests with whoever the Temlins chose, this time’s more for sizin’ each other up than convincin’ the other guy to even the playing field.”

“So what, whoever gets to pick the contest is basically guaranteed victory!?”

“Eh, not necessarily.” Jaeris corrected. “I didn’t get to pick my first round neither, an’ I still managed to come out on top by outsmartin’ my opponent.”

“Yeah, good luck with that, bucko.” Stan smirked.

“Stanley, don’t antagonize the man.” Ford chided him. “You’ve already literally given him an excuse to punch you in the face.”

“That’s the idea, genius.” Stan rolled his eyes. “But seriously, good luck with your preparations and stuff. I’m lookin’ forward to the fight, should be fun.” He grinned warmly at his opponent. “So, uh, are we done here? How do we get back to the boat?”

The air around them shimmered, and they disappeared just as quickly as they’d arrived in the first place.

“...He seemed nice.” Jaeris commented after they’d left. “H___ of a lot nicer than my first opponent, that’s for sure.”

“Oh yeah, perfectly nice!” Linkara agreed with false cheer. “If you ignore the fact that he’s basically been given permission to cheat. What a load of bullcrap!” 

“You’re not going to give up just because your opponent has an unfair advantage, are you?” Pollo asked. 

“Oh no, I told you guys, I’m in it to win it.” the comic reviewer assured them. “I just need someone to complain to.”

“I mean, I guess you could try and file a complaint with the Temlins, but I wouldn’t count on it makin’ any difference.” Jaeris said.

“Alright. Dr. Linksano, could you start drafting a complaint letter?”

“I’m a mad scientist, not your secretary!”

“I’ll pay you by the word.”

“Deal.”

“In the meantime, if I’m gonna beat this guy, I am going to need a really great training montage!”

* * *

The day of the first round came. Both parties were teleported to a boxing ring that had been set up within the Temlins’ stadium. Linkara and his crew were set up in the green corner, while Stan and his brother were in the red. 

“Why are both of you fully dressed?” Linksano asked. “Don’t boxers usually just wear a pair of shorts?”

“You really think folks wanna see two outta shape guys fight topless?” Stan reasoned.

“Well, yes. Many people throughout the multiverse are very into that!”

“If you both feel more comfortable keepin’ your shirts on, then that’s the fight the Temlins are gonna put on.” Jaeris said.

“Contestants, enter the ring to begin your first round in the Contest of Champions!” The Temlins’ holographic envoy commanded.

Stan and Linkara both climbed into the ring, meeting in the center to shake hands and exchange pleasantries.

“So, uh, how long’s it been for you?” Stan asked.

“Eh, a couple of months. You?”

“Almost a year and a half. I almost forgot about this whole thing!”

“The contestants are in place. Fight with honor, fight with pride, most of all, fight well. Begin!”

“Kick his a__ kid!” Harvey cheered.

“You can do it, Stanley! Show him what the Pines family is made of!” Ford encouraged.

Stan made the first blow with a quick pop to the stomach and followed up by stepping on his opponent’s leading foot. 

“...oww…” Linkara groaned and reeled back a step or two, but otherwise looked as ready as ever.

Stan raised an eyebrow in surprise. He’d expected the out-of-shape comic reviewer to be a push-over, but the guy could take more punishment than he thought.

Linkara landed a haymaker square in Stan’s chest. It was clear the kid had no form and no training, but he certainly packed a wallop. 

They exchanged more sloppy blows. Most of the time, Stan didn’t have any trouble blocking the kid’s punches, but some of them were so wild and out there that he either didn’t see them coming or didn’t know how to block them.

“I AM A MAN!!” Linkara shouted, and despite the fact that it was as clearly telegraphed as possible, the punch was somehow impossible to block. The blow knocked Stan onto his back, and he was pretty sure there’d been a flash of light and some sound effects.

“What the heck was that!?” Stan quickly pulled himself up off the mat before the ref could ring the bell on him. 

“I dunno, it does something different every time.” Linkara shrugged.

Stan squared his shoulders. It was time to end this. “Left Hook!” He wound up and socked the guy right in the jaw. The blow was actually enough to spin the comic reviewer on his heel, and he fell to the floor.

“5… 4… 3… 2… 1… It’s a knockout!” The ref declared.

Stan stood over his defeated opponent. “You ok, kid?” He asked, offering a hand up.

“...and tha’s why Pow-Rangers Megforssss.... Iz zah bes’ seezin of all…” The comic review offered only a slurred non-sequitur as a reply. 

“Champion Linkara is unable to continue the fight! This match goes to--” The ref was about to hold Stan’s hand aloft in victory, when another Temlin Emissary, this one clearly different from the first, appeared.

“Stop these proceedings at once!” The hologram commanded with a booming voice. “There is reason to believe that Champion Stanley Pines bribed one of the Temlin Judges in order to receive an unfair advantage in this contest!”

“Ha! What? I dunno what this guy’s talkin’ about!” Stan insisted nervously. “I don’t even know what a bribe is!”

“How could anyone possibly bribe the Temlins? They’re all-powerful!” Ford asked. “I know Stan is quite the charmer, but what could my brother possibly offer them as a bribe?”

“A good question. We never would have guessed it was possible either, but Champion Linkara filed an official complaint. As we looked into his concerns, we found that our representative sent to determine the first competition with Champion Stanley Pines made themself unobservable for approximately 10 Earth Minutes. As for what Champion Stanley could have offered as a bribe, the answer is as simple as it is shocking: A new experience.” 

“What the h___ is that supposed to mean?” Harvey asked.

“The Temlins started this competition because they were bored with all their limitless power.” Jaeris recalled. “So if this guy was really able to show them somethin’ new, that might actually be enough to work as a bribe!”

“When we further investigated the representative in question, we found them in possession of a large quantity of a heretofore unknown beverage called Mabel Juice. Upon interrogation, the representative confessed to accepting the beverage in exchange for approving ‘Dirty Boxing’ as the round’s competition.”

“Dang it, should’ve known that alien jerk would rat me out.” Stan muttered under his breath.

“As a consequence, the representative has been suspended from duty, and Champion Stanley has been disqualified from the Contest of Champions.”

“And you guys couldn’t have disqualified him before he beat me up?” Linkara asked incredulously as he picked himself up off the mat.

“The match was already set to be broadcast, and there was no alternative to fill the time slot.”

“So, what, this guy wins after all?” Stan pointed to his opponent.

“Champion Linkara will be assigned a new opponent for his first round. We shall choose another Champion who had previously been in consideration for this tournament.”

“Oh come on! So I have to fight two first rounds!?” Linkara complained. 

“We shall inform you when your new opponent has been chosen.” The Temlin emissary continued as if they hadn’t heard him, before disappearing.

“So, uh, no hard feelings?” Stan grinned sheepishly, extending a handshake to Linkara.

“Yes! Yes, some hard feelings!” Linkara shouted at him.

“Welp, that’s my cue to get outta here. C’mon Ford!”

The elder Pines twins ducked into a portal back to the Stan’O’War II before the comic reviewer completely lost his temper. They sat down at the table and shared a hearty laugh.

Ford shook his head. “Stan, you’re the only person I know who could possibly bribe a race of all-powerful beings, and get away with it."

"Didn't quite get away with it, did I?" Stan shook his head. 

“Well, you may have been disqualified, but you weren’t zapped or banished to a featureless void, which is more than most people who have crossed the Temlins can say.”

Stan grinned. “Heh, well, that might’ve been because they all want a shot at trying Mabel Juice. I’d better call her. Somethin’ tells me she’s gonna get some extra-dimensional visitors in the near future.”

[dopescotlandwarrior]

Sinners & Saints-Chapter 13

           A special thank you to @statell​ for your help and wisdom

Previous chapters on AO3

Chapter Thirteen  (nsfw)

In Washington DC, Hesser’s second in command watched the crime scene, grinding his teeth. The forensic team worked quickly to finish before dawn to keep a lid on this. They had not prepared for a tourist with insomnia who wandered the streets of the Capitol taking pictures with his phone. A week later the man and his family were back home in Flint Michigan where it would take another several days for him to review the shots of their vacation.

The pictures were sent to the Washington Post where they were forwarded to the CIA without printing them. They were also sent to a popular political vlogger who devoted a ten-minute stream showing the pictures and sharing his guesses like they were facts.

An unmarked van pulled up to the tourist’s home in Michigan and held the family at gunpoint while six other men removed every cell phone and computer in the house. They threatened the man within an inch of his life and piled all of their electronic devices into the van and drove away. The vlogger was spared the rough treatment but every platform he used on social media was closed and his content was deleted. Gab, YouTube, twitter, Instagram, and numerous boards, went black. One hour after he posted the pictures he was out of social media, lost his lively hood, and had absolutely no recourse.

Little Maia was a gossip junkie and that included the conspiracy channels that whipped her mind into a tornado of awful scenarios coming to the world. Darius teased her so badly about it she started watching her saved videos when she was alone. The Washington crime scene was in her downloaded videos which she watched some days later. When she mentioned a murder in Washington, supposedly at the CIA building, Jamie launched from his chair and pulled Maia out of her seat, almost dragging her upstairs. They all gathered in front of her laptop and watched the vlogger show pictures of a late-night crime scene.

“Jamie, do you think that’s Hesser?”

“I know it’s Hesser. Thank Christ."

“Does this mean we’re free?”

“Of Hesser, yes. He said no one in the government will know us, so we can hope.”

The days ahead were kind to the four of them. Jamaica’s perfect weather, great fishing with rods and spears, gorgeous water to swim, snorkel, and treasure hunt made the days speed by with nary a care. Jamie spent time in his studio each day and occasionally all night. There was still an aggressive edge to the way he made love and Claire tried to be patient until he wanted to talk about it.

After spearfishing with Darius one afternoon, Jamie asked if he would come with him to the island the next day.

“I can’t live with this thing in my arm anymore, it’s driving me crazy not knowing if they will be coming for us. Nor can I forget your warning the ping might be keeping us alive. I have to do something.” Jamie looked around at the beautiful surroundings and then focused on Darius. “I’m going back to the doctor to have it removed tomorrow. I want you there, just in case.”

“In case you die, is that what you mean? Before you take the ultimate risk, maybe look for an expert in this technology or super-spy stuff that you can talk to.”

“I’ve already done that and learned even more that terrifies me. Apparently, it takes a fair amount of energy to be an RFID and even more for the sonar pulses. The battery will go dead at some point and the pinging will stop. We have no way to know how long the battery will last.”

“Same doctor?”

“Yes, I spoke to him yesterday, he said he would do it.”

“Claire knows?”

“No.”

“What kind of a partner does that?”

“One who loves the other more than anything in this universe Darius.”

Claire lowered the aft deck and sat with her legs in the water, deep in thought. Adso sat next to her waiting for something interesting to happen and then left to find a soft seat in the saloon. Claire hardly noticed. Jamie seemed distant the past week, spending nights in his studio, and days with Darius or hiding with his laptop. When she walked into the bedroom the previous day she saw him click off the website he was on and slam the lid down. He was hiding a secret, and with every woman and girl fawning over him on the island she wondered if she should be worried. She missed him and hoped she was wrong.

Later, in the evening, a time the four of them usually sat on the foredeck and played cards or watched a movie, Jamie was painting, Darius carried Maia upstairs, and Claire sat by herself and cried, contriving multiple scenarios of Jamie cheating. She wandered into her bed and fell asleep with her clothes on.

Jamie wanted to write a note to Claire, just in case he didn’t return from the island the next day. He knew they were well into a movie above deck so he took his time. He tried over and over again and the trash can filled with balled-up paper. When the words wouldn’t come he gave up trying and climbed the stairs to a dark and lonely saloon with no one in sight. He laid down behind his Sassenach, filled with sadness this might be the last time to hold her while she slept.

The next morning, Claire poured coffee into a mug and asked Maia where Jamie was. When she heard he and Darius had tendered to shore the tears came tumbling down her cheeks, leaving Maia speechless. Claire shared her suspicions that Jamie had hooked up with someone on the island and Maia’s eyes became slits of anger.

“So Darius is helping him? Or maybe she has a sister? Oh, hell no. We are going after them so get your suit on and bring something to wear into town.”

“Maia, we don’t even know where they are, we can’t start knocking down doors.”

“I know exactly where Darius is every minute of the day.” She held her phone up and punched one of her apps that opened to the streets of the island with a glowing red circle in the middle. “He is here. Let’s go.”

Maia tied her flipflops and waterproof canister to her waist and Claire did the same. From their mooring, the island looked very close but as they swam toward it Claire was getting tired. Maia looked around and waved at a tender with a big smile and let’s-party eyes. Soon after, they were helped onboard by two very hopeful young men. She dismissed them on shore with a kiss on the cheek and pointed to someone else’s yacht while blowing kisses. Claire looked at Maia’s phone over her shoulder. They headed in the direction of the red circle.

“This can’t be right Maia, it’s the doctor’s office we visited before.”

“There is no mistake, Claire, at least Darius’s phone is in there.”

The doctor had closed his office while he performed the extraction, just in case. He heard pounding on the front door and motioned for his nurse to check on the commotion. She glanced at the monitor behind the front desk and recognized the woman who sneered at her the previous week. Quickly she unbuttoned the top of her nurse's uniform and pulled it open so her push-up bra could display her ample bosom, then she tossed her hair pulling stray pieces of her updo into her face. She grabbed a nail file from the pencil holder and rubbed it savagely against her lips making them puffy and red.

Maia pounded on the door again and both women gasped when the nurse pulled the door open five inches, enough to see her bouncing breasts and disheveled look. She was panting and whispering she was at lunch and they had to go away.

Claire looked at the hair in the nurse's face, her breasts pouring out of her loosened uniform, and her lips that looked ravaged. It was the same nurse that waited by the door to watch Jamie leave. Her heart dropped into her stomach and she turned around and walked away while Maia was arguing with the nurse. She was almost to the water’s edge when Maia grabbed her arm.

“Have you condemned Jamie already?”

“What else would he be doing there during their lunch. Do you know how to drive that thing?”

“Yes, I’ll get you home.”

The nurse put herself back together before taking her seat next to the doctor. She looked at Jamie’s beautiful face, relaxed from a shot of Valium, and watched him strip her in her mind.

“Nurse!”

She jerked out of her daydream and held the instrument tray for the doctor. He teased the tissue back exposing the RFID chip and locked the forceps on it.

“Mister Smith, do you want me to pull it out?”

Jamie turned his head from the window and said yes, then he smiled like he had not a thing to worry about.

“Wait just a minute.” Darius sounded angry and closed his hand on the doctor’s arm. “He is high as a kite and you’re asking him if he’s ready to die?”

Jamie looked at Darius and his eyes cleared suddenly. He recited the navigational terms he learned and named the doors on the yacht that closed with a watertight seal in case they were sinking. He looked at Darius, “I love my wife more than my next breath and this will save her.”

Darius released the doctor’s arm and watched him pull the chip out of Jamie’s arm. They waited, silently, while the tension crushed them. One minute, nothing happened, two minutes, then three. Sweat rolled down the doctor’s temple as he pumped up the blood pressure cuff on Jamie’s arm and then pressed a stethoscope to his chest. He repeated the procedure at five minutes, ten, and then fifteen minutes while Jamie dozed from the Valium. He pulled his equipment away and slumped in his stool.

“I do not know if there is some kind of poison in the second object, but if it was strong enough to kill him, he would have a reaction already. I am too old for this. He wiped his forehead with his sleeve and started suturing the incision.

Darius smiled and handed the doctor five one-hundred-dollar bills before helping Jamie stand up and walk toward the door. They both watched the sky as they walked to the beach and half expected black SUV’s to come screeching around a corner, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.

When Jamie saw the ocean in front of them his smile was huge. It felt foreign to him and he realized there hadn’t been much smiling for the past week. It was time to make up for all of that. If he didn’t drop dead in the next twelve hours they were completely free…and rich…and in love.

There was a strange vibe in the saloon that was uncharacteristically quiet. They both felt it and went in separate directions to find the girls.

Claire was breathing hard from the heavy suitcases she carried from the closet. She looked up at Jamie and jumped back, pushing the hair out of her face. He could see she was completely undone and wondered what had happened.

“What’s this then?”

“I think I got all of it. There was more than I thought so I gave you my new suitcases.”

Her voice was so quiet he could barely hear her, so he got closer and she backed away.

“Thank you, love, that was a lot of work, and very generous to give me your cases. What am I to do with them now?”

Jamie took another step toward her, and another until she was pressed against the wall, still looking at her feet. Something huge had happened to Claire and it was not based in truth so he acted authentically until she found the strength to tell him.

“Do you love her?” It was no more than a whisper.

He was standing toe to toe with her, looking down on the top of her head, there was no room for Jesus between them.

“Oh yes, more than the air that fills my lungs,” he whispered. “I am fascinated by her mind, and soft coiled curls, not to mention her body that steals my soul. He ran his fingertips up her thigh as she shook with the confusing arousal caused by his touch. He pulled her chin up so she was forced to look at him. “Mostly, I love her whisky eyes because I see all of my tomorrows in them.”

Claire was under his spell so he brought his mouth down on hers and tasted her fear, her love, and her growing passion. He studied her eyes and her confusion. Clearly she doubted his love for her and that hurt her deeply.

“I would give my life for her,” he whispered, “and I did, today.”

Jamie’s large warm hand covered her globes before inching up her back. She was fighting her need to touch and claim him so he continued his soft touch that came closer to her heat making her exhale into his chest. There were noises upstairs, shattering glass, and tumbling furniture that threatened to break the spell so he kissed the sounds from her mind and let his tongue dance with hers. He moved with her toward the bed, like a dance that she followed. He grimaced when he laid down and quickly moved to her other side so his good arm could support his head.

Claire was in a love stupor and she asked why his arm hurt. Her eyes were foggy with lust and pain from her broken heart. Jamie pushed the hair behind her ear and studied the tragedy on her face wanting to carry her away to a world without threat or danger to erode her faith in him. He dragged his fingertips up her thigh and under her sundress. His warm hand covered her abdomen from side to side and moved slowly toward her breasts.

“Unbutton my shirt love, help me out of it.”

When Claire pushed the shirt off his shoulders she looked at the bandage that circled his arm and he could see her confusion.

“Like I said, she is my everything, her love is so honest and sweet, how could I not give my life for hers.” He kissed her deeply and she could feel his need. In her tortured mind she decided something was interpreted wrong and she opened herself up to his body as he covered her. She felt drunk from relief and gave herself over to his unrelenting soft hand and his power between her legs. The remaining clothes fell away and he pushed into her while he kissed her face, neck, breasts, and mouth. It was a soft, slow build of passion while their eyes affirmed what was in their hearts.

When they came back to earth, Claire held him tightly and buried her face in his neck. He could feel her slight puffs of air as she fell asleep. He held her and let himself truly rest for the first time in days.

Claire’s eyes opened and her stomach growled from the smell of food. Jamie watched her mind clear and then she looked around and gripped his arm. She expected to wake up alone, that was obvious, and he felt shame for leaving their bed so many nights. She smiled at him and he pulled her close. `

“I plan to have a bit of fun loving you back to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“We are truly free Sassenach. It’s over, forever. I know you’re confused and I am so sorry about that. I smell lobster, your favorite. How about a nice dinner while Darius and I clear things up.”

Jamie and Darius went into battle with an invisible foe and won the day. Claire and Maia were brought to their knees but rescued by love in the end. Their story came out over a delicious meal that provided enough distraction to soften the shock of what had transpired.

“We realized a new threat with removing the chip. Maybe it would cause the second object to release something deadly.”

“I found experts online who were more concerned with the battery dying because sonar takes so much power.

“I thought he was nuts to take the risk but he was determined, with or without me.”

“It looked so obvious she had been kissed senseless and her boobs were overflowing her uniform.”

“I grabbed the doctor’s arm before he could pull the chip out. I didn’t think Jamie was capable of giving him the go-ahead. Then he listed the navigation definitions and watertight doors on the yacht and I knew he was clear-headed.”

“I took Claire back in the tender, then returned it and swam back to the boat. If I hadn’t been so pissed at you Darius I never would have made it.”

“I thought you went to her and she did nothing to change my mind, that fluzzy. Coming to the door with her hair in her face and puffy lips.”

"So all those nights and closed doors with your laptop was researching the chip?

"I was looking for proof they could not kill a person with it and found just the opposite. The CIA has studied mind control and building the perfect soldier for forty years. A chip that costs ten cents to make solved both problems."

"So you had it removed, why?"

"So you could turn yourself in and force them to remove it. You would be out in your early fifties and still have decades to live."

Jamie put his arm around Claire protectively. It was over, all of it. They had been on the run for so long and now they were free. Two people, complete strangers at first, had given so much to see them safe were now trusted friends. It was overwhelming.

“I suppose I’m next to get this thing cut out of my arm.”

Jamie kissed her neck, “right, tomorrow it’s your turn.”

”Well, I say we have drinks on the deck and enjoy the beautiful evening. By the way, Maia, will I need to order a new bedroom set?”

“Not all of it.”

The breeze touched her skin like a whisper, so soft and lovely. She dropped her head back on Jamie’s arm and sighed. Looking in his beautiful eyes she asked for a kiss and when his lips were millimeters from her she jumped at the sound of a boat horn.

They looked at the superyacht getting ready to drop anchor beside them with the crew running around on every deck. They almost missed the small woman waving to them.

“Hello, neighbors! I don’t want to intrude but might you come and bring me over so we could have a chat?”

Darius raised his eyebrows at Jamie who asked the woman if she was ready to come now, and they went to fetch her.

“I like people who are straight forward, I suck at subtleties. Sut-el-tees,” she said slowly, “is that the right word?”

“Yes, although depending on the person hearing it, you might want to skip the suck part.”

Claire never realized how little Maia actually spoke because she had grand gestures that made it clear what she was thinking. A bit of encouragement and she was trying out her growing English vocabulary regularly. They went to meet their guest while Maia practiced the word under her breath.

Claire held her breath while Jamie and Darius helped the elderly woman on board and then led her into the saloon and offered her a seat.

“This lovely saloon is entirely comfortable for a chat but weren’t you all sitting outside before I butted in?”

“Of course, let’s sit on the deck and get to know each other.”

The woman seemed so happy to meet new people and sat with a warm smile on her face. “I believe you were drinking, is that right?”

“What can I get for you?”

She looked Jamie up and down, “You in fifty years perhaps, for now, I’ll have beer if you have it.”

Jamie smiled at her, “we never run out of beer.”

The woman looked around at the young faces and healthy smiles, “my name is Sepora. My mother insisted and my father could not pronounce it so he called me Danny and that is the name that stuck to me. It’s just me and my crew, sailing around the world, looking for something to do.”

“I’m Claire, this is Maia, Darius, and Jamie.”

The old woman watched Claire’s face when she said each name and knew Jamie to be loved like no other. He was a special man, she could see that and wanted to know more. But first, she turned toward Darius, “You are the captain, and you love your first mate.”

She touched Maia’s skin and smiled at her. “I see you at the United Nations, telling men what they have come to hear. You are desperately unhappy surrounded by concrete, bricks, and glass. The sea calls to you but you have left it behind. Don’t do it Maia dear, money won’t make you happy.”

Looking back at Darius she smiled disarmingly and told him to take the honest path and leave his family behind.

“When you doubt your path is the right one you have only to look at the picture. It is the real you, and honestly shows your strength.”

The four friends were stealing looks at each other, wondering who this crazy old woman was, but fascinated, hanging on her every word. They didn’t speak fearing they would miss something.

Darius did not believe in seeing the future but couldn’t help his curiosity about some picture. “Ma’am? What picture shows the real me?”

“It’s downstairs dear. Let it guide you toward your path.”

“Jesus,” Jamie whispered and moved from foot to foot.

Danny looked at Jamie, “the dusty old masters could not bend paint into emotion like you can Jamie dear. Paint your world authentically, from your heart, like, the conversation. The world will beat a path to your door.”

Jamie was entranced by her, “how could you…”

“The next one will see you remembered as one of the masters, you will belong to the ages, but the conversation will see you better.”

Jamie’s eyes bored into the woman’s, “How…how could you know my paintings?”

“It is time for me to go home. Could I trouble you boys for a ride back?”

Suddenly she looked pale and tired so Jamie and Darius helped her to the tender and took her back. Five of her crew were waiting on the aft deck to help her aboard. She nodded and smiled at them and then batted at their over-eager hands to assist her. She turned and looked into Jamie’s eyes as they waved, “she is still a mystery that thrills me.” He heard every word and felt the hair on his neck stand up.

Jamie and Darius were arguing when they joined the girls on deck. Darius was begging to see the painting of him and Jamie was saying his paintings were not shared with anyone. “How in God’s name did she know about those paintings Jamie, and what painting is called the conversation?”

Jamie turned a strange look on Claire as the old woman’s words came back. There was no denying she knew what she couldn’t possibly know and if her suggestions were a gift to each of them he had better get out of the way of the message.

“I’ll be back.”

Jamie invited them into the saloon where his paintings were propped up on chairs and couches. They walked through the huge room admiring his talent and use of color but mostly looking from one to another.

“Darius! Oh my God, it’s you. Oh my God,” she whispered and blinked her eyes to clear her vision.

He stared at the image of the man he aspired to be and felt a shiver go up his spine, “someday…I hope.”

From behind him, Jamie said, “I have a photographic memory, and that is the man on the bridge the morning of our wedding. You are him, my friend.”

“What a beautiful place, it’s how I see Scotland in my mind.”

It is Scotland indeed, my boyhood friends, Ian, Rupert, and Angus,” pointing to each of them when he said their names. “The painting is for Rupert, in a few years.”

In her mind, Claire heard boys laughing, twigs snapping, and screams of glee as they dropped from the rope into the ravine. It was rare when a painting pulled her to another place where she felt the emotion of the scene. She looked up at Jamie with wonder and he pressed his forehead to hers for a moment.

There were a dozen more canvases in some stage of completion and all were commented on. Darius was trying to remember all that Danny said.

“Where is The Conversation?”

Jamie blushed and looked at the floor shaking his head side to side. “It is private and it is in our bedroom Claire if you want to see it.”

Claire looked up at him and took his hand, leading him into their room where she gasped and stood rooted to the ground. She was stunned by the life-like tones of her skin, the clear eyes of Adso watching her like he was listening to something profound. Claire was painted naked, laying on her side in their bed. Her one finger was under Adso’s chin so he would listen. Her naked breasts looked lifelike as did her ample butt and flat stomach. Her black coils spilled across her shoulders and down her back and her mouth was open in conversation with the kitten. Adso’s body was stretched out but his eyes were fixed on hers. There were so many emotions conveyed in the picture. Sweet, parental, sleepy beauty, enticingly sexual. Claire’s chiseled features were perfectly painted, full lips, loving eyes, playfully serious. The colors were muted giving the viewer an almost voyeuristic experience.

“My God, Jamie, have I ever looked like that?”

“Every morning love,” he breathed in her ear.

“I keep feeling different things, happiness, love, teaching Adso how to be a good cat, our bed in the morning awe, sexual energy, Adso’s worship. It’s absolutely marvelous Jamie but if we don’t let them see it, I fear they will search for it every time we leave.”

“It is your beautiful body mo chridhe, do you mind them seeing it?”

“I don’t mind, besides, the cute energy between me and Adso is predominant, they won’t even notice.”

Jamie got control of his spontaneous laugh and looked at his wife, as you wish Sassenach.

Claire walked Darius and Maia into their room and apologized for being in her birthday suit. Not a word was spoken from the mouths that hung open. Jamie watched their eyes move around on the canvas, delighted in the exchange between adorable cat and owner being the central focus.

Jamie dropped a sheet over the canvas and blushed at the comments. When they walked out on the deck Maia had grown quiet and pensive. When Darius asked about the new painting she tried to act interested and push down her hurt feelings because she was the only one he didn’t paint.

“What is the subject of your new painting Jamie? She said it would make you famous as a master painter, so what is it?”

Maia stared at her toes, trying not to cry when she heard, “it’s Maia.” She jerked her head up and her heart jumped to her throat.

When Jamie heard Danny comment about how famous it would become, he closed his mind to her abilities to see the future. It was just sweet Maia being iconic and would never be a promoter of his talent. He kept that to himself because the others were having so much fun with the predictions.

“Bring it up! Let us see,” Darius was about to bust with his desire to see the painting. Jamie was worried Maia would be offended after the seriousness of the other paintings.

“Maia, last month I walked into the galley when you were baking, remember?”

Maia was smiling and shaking her head no.

“Come with me and I’ll let you decide.” She followed Jamie into his studio and watched the covered canvas with anticipation as Jamie exposed the picture. She didn’t smile, or bounce around, nor did she make a sound as her eyes flicked all over the canvas.

The painting was life-sized showing Maia from the waist up leaning forward to exert force on the rolling pin over dough. Her face looked like beautiful determination punctuated by the tip of her tongue sticking out the side of her mouth. Her bikini could be seen under her white shirt and her long ponytail had slipped to the front of her shoulder and was covered with white floor. Adso was in the foreground shaking flour off of his fur. “Morning” was painted in a lower corner.

“Oh Maia, you sweet baby girl.”

Darius pushed into the studio and wrapped his arms around Maia while he studied the picture.

“I walked into the galley, early in the morning, and this is what I saw. It was cuteness overload when Adso shook flour all over her. It’s a very intimate picture Maia, I hope you like it when it’s done.” She turned her happy face to him and Jamie was relieved.

Darius looked at every line and shadow in the painting feeling weird about her floppy white shirt exposing part of her bikini-clad chest. One nipple pushed against the fabric and Darius smiled to himself. Maia’s nipples didn’t look like that, they were much bigger, so it was creative-license and not Jamie memorizing his girlfriend’s breast. He turned a knowing smile on his friend.

Jamie felt self-conscious with all the attention and covered the canvas before ushering everyone out. The evening had been extraordinary and the day, a roller coaster of highs and lows that suddenly felt exhausting.

Jamie slid into bed and turned the last light off before pulling Claire to him. He thought about all the crazy things that happened since morning and felt overwhelmed. He cuddled with Claire.

“Life is a journey Sassenach and there are no absolutes except one…me.”

He pulled her close and felt her let go of her conscious world. He would ride the night next to her, a happy occupant of that sacred position.

[bellakitse]

the most vital to my happiness

An encounter with his older brother leaves Alex hurt. Michael is angry, worries and takes care of Alex.

For @emma-arthur from your secret santa. I hope you like it!! ❤❤❤

also on ao3

Alex knows before he even opens his eyes that he’s in the hospital, there are the telling signs of medical equipment beeping and the smell of disinfectant in the air. He feels the heaviness of medication coursing through him and wonders what he was given as the desire to sleep tries to pull him back in. He’d love to listen to that siren song, but he can feel people in the room with him. He reaches out and grabs a hand as it touches his forearm, his hold is as tight as he can make it, given how sluggish he feels.

“It’s okay, Alex. You’re safe.”

He lets out a calming breath as he recognizes Liz’s soothing voice and finally opens his eyes, assessing the room. Liz is sitting at his left side, while Kyle, whose wrist he’s holding, is on his right.

Michael, who is sporting the stoniest expression on his face, is a few feet away by the door with his arms crossed.

“How-“ he tries to speak, coughing from the dryness of his throat.

Liz, grabbing a plastic cup of water, brings a straw to his lips. “What do you remember?” she asks after he’s done drinking.

Alex frowns at the question, sneaking another look at Michael. He can see the tension in his arms and shoulders and wishes he would come closer so Alex could smooth out the strain. They do that now, they touch more, each time with the anticipation that they are on the verge of being something again.

It’s taken months.

It’s taken other relationships and breakups. Long conversations that sometimes ended in shouts, sometimes in tears, but lately end in innocent touches with the promise of more.

There is a steady source of hope that constantly courses through him these days when Michael smiles at him like he’s still the man he loves.

Michael isn’t smiling right now.

No, everything about Michael right now screams quiet fury, and it causes a ball of anxiety in Alex to build.

He turns his gaze back to Liz and Kyle, he doesn’t like the worried looks on their faces, but it’s easier to deal with than Michael obviously being angry. Liz still looks at him expectantly, waiting, and he remembers she asked him a question.

What does he remember?

He tries to focus, and after a moment, it starts to come back to him. Decrypted communications between his oldest brother Harlan and his father, who’s been in hiding since Flint snuck him out of the hospital a few months back. He’d followed his family’s trail and ended with Harlan pushing his knife into Alex’s side as they fought.

His brother’s version of brotherly love.

“I ran into Harlan,” he finally answers, and he can feel the tension in the room go up at the mention of his brother, by now everyone knows what the Manes men are capable of doing.

Liz’s brow furrows at the center with worry and more than a little anger; she points toward his wound, her mouth pinched. “He did that?”

“My dear big brother takes after dad the most,” he answers with a bitter grin that drops when he hears Michael curse from where he stands, his eyes burning angrier if possible.

Kyle looks over his shoulder at the cowboy before looking back at him, his own expression grim. “And after?”

“I incapacitated him,” Alex recalls.

Like his father, his brothers tended to underestimate him. He remembers the knife slicing into him like butter, his brother smirking at him, thinking he had the upper hand when Alex let out a pained gasp. He’d let his guard down and had taken to gloating. Harlan was brutal like their father, but his arrogance was his downfall.

“He stabbed me once, and then came at me again,” Alex answers matter of fact, ignoring the way Liz mutters angrily under her breath in Spanish.

“His knife came towards my shoulder, and I disarmed him. I broke his arm and then hit him with the bud of my gun, knocking him out. I got out of there and drove back to Roswell, but I was bleeding a lot, and my vision got blurry,” he trails off, not remembering anything else.

“You called me as you crossed into Roswell,” Kyle answers his silent question. “You managed to tell me where you were before you passed out, we came to get you.”

Alex nods, understanding how he ended up in the hospital. Max was back among the land of the living, but his powers weren’t what they used to be these days, he couldn’t heal him. Bringing him to Roswell General was the only solution.

“Thanks,” he says quietly, giving his friend half a smile, which Kyle returns tiredly. Alex takes in the dark circles around his eyes and how weary the others in the room look. “How long was I out?”

“21 hours, 38 minutes,” Michael answers before Kyle, which makes Kyle and Liz give each other pointed looks while Alex stares at Michael, his heart pounding in his ears as Michael gives him an anguished look. “You lost a lot of blood and weren’t responsive when we found you.”

“I’m sorry-

Michael throws him a scowl that shuts him up, an apology is obviously the last thing Michael wants, but he can’t read Michael’s mood right now other than he’s upset, and he doesn’t know how to change it. He looks back at Kyle, who is watching him quietly.

“When can I leave?” he asks, and Kyle starts shaking his head, giving him an aggravated look of his own.

“I want to keep you for observation for a few days to make sure you’re okay,” Kyle starts, frowning when Alex gives him a shake of his own.

“Alex,” Liz starts, trying to reason with him.

“If you want to keep me here just for observation, that means I’m okay,” Alex interrupts her argument before she even begins. “I’m going home.”

“Dude,” Kyle complains. “Come on, don’t be difficult.”

“I’m not,” he says, and Michael scoffs from the door, crossing and uncrossing his arms before crossing them once more.

Kyle tries once more. “Alex-“

“Do I need to be here?” Alex questions. “Will I keel over if I leave?”

Kyle presses his lips into a thin line, before finally answering. “Well no, We gave you a blood transfusion and antibiotics-“

“So I’m okay,” Alex cuts him off.

Kyle rolls his eyes at him, forgetting that he’s in doctor mode right now. “Yes.”

Alex smiles, victoriously. “So, do you want to check me out, or do I need to do it myself?”

Kyle shakes his head, mumbling about pain in the ass patients. “I’ll get the paperwork ready. You can leave in a few hours if you don’t spike a fever or anything.”

Alex nods and starts to say thank you, when Michael lets out a noise, they all turn to look at him, but he’s already turning on his heel and leaving the room, leaving it in an awkward silence. Kyle follows a few minutes afterward to get the discharge papers ready, leaving Alex alone with Liz.

“He’s angry at me,” Alex comments resigned, feeling a dull ache in his chest. It’s been a while since Michael has been angry at him, and he remembers just how much he hates it. He hates the feeling like there is a wall between them, one he can’t get through.

Liz takes his hand in hers, warm to the touch; she runs her fingers over his knuckles, bruised from his fight.

“He’s not angry,” she disagrees with him, her voice gentle. “He’s scared. He went with Kyle to get you, and your clothes were soaked in your blood, and he couldn’t wake you up. He’s been scared since, Alex. We all were.”

Alex looks down at their hands, his eyes stinging, and he feels miserable. “I’m sorry.”

Liz looks at him, kind and loving in that way of hers. “Don’t be sorry, just be more careful,” she says, gently scolding him. “We can’t lose you; we all love you too much.”

Alex gives her a watery smile, which she returns. She touches his chin, making him meet her eyes.

“Especially Michael.”

***

Michael doesn’t come back to the hospital, and that evening when Kyle discharges him, it’s Liz that drives him home. She doesn’t comment on his sad, miserable mood, and he silently thanks her for it.

He just wants to go home and curl up with his dog. Liz tells him that Maria drove out to watch Buffy while he was in the hospital.

“She called an hour ago before heading for the bar, said Buffy was walked and fed and that if you pull another stunt like this, she’s filing for custody of her.”

Alex chuckles, holding his left side as it aches. Maria loves Buffy, given that she helped him rescue her when they met her, he wouldn’t put it past her to make good on her threat.

“She also said that she’s going to kick your ass and then smother you with cuddles next time she sees you for scaring her, just as soon as you’re better,” Liz continues, throwing him a mild glare. “I will be joining in on both.”

He rolls his eyes but gives her a nod, accepting his future punishment easily.

They pull up to his cabin to find the lights on, and a familiar old truck already parked in front. Alex turns to look at Liz, his heart speeding up at the sight of the vehicle. Liz smiles at him, amused, and he can only imagine the look on his face.

“You two really are a pair,” she sighs softly, her smile widening as she shakes her head at him. “I was going to come inside and keep you company, but it seems you don’t need me,” she nods towards Michael’s truck. “Do you need help to get inside?”

Alex shakes his head, his hand already reaching for the door handle when Liz reaches out and touches his arm.

“Let him take care of you, Alex. You need it,” she says, nodding towards the cabin. “But so does he.”

Alex swallows hard, her words resonating with him; finally, he nods and says a soft thank you as he exits her car, she waits until he’s at his door, slower than he would like before she puts the car in reverse.

The cabin is warm from the fire that is going strong, and the place smells like food. Michael is sitting on his couch with Buffy, who is resting her head on his lap, blissfully happy as Michael scratches behind her ears.

They both look over at him as he walks in, and Buffy barks, her tail wagging so hard, it thumps against the couch cushion. Michael looks at him but says nothing as they stare at each other.

He doesn't look like a thundercloud like earlier, but Alex can tell he's not entirely over his mood either. Buffy barks again, gaining his attention, and Alex can’t help but smile at her excitement to see him. The old girl is truly the sweetest dog. He walks over to them and sits at the other end of the couch, hiding the way his side aches with every movement, he sneaks a look at Michael, his frown has deepened as he watches him.

Obviously, Alex isn't as good at hiding the pain he's in as he would like. He looks down at Buffy, who has left Michael's side and has now waddled over to him, resting her head on his lap as she looks up at him with those soulful brown eyes of hers.

"Hey, baby girl," he mutters softly, as he pets the top of her head. "Did you miss me?"

“Of course she did,” Michael answers quietly, speaking for the first time since the hospital. He’s looking at Alex with those whiskey-colored eyes of his, that speak louder than any words. Alex sees the frustration and worry in them. Now closer, Alex can see that they’re puffy from lack of sleep, and Alex feels the guilt slam into him. “She always misses you when you’re gone, she worries.”

Alex licks his lips as he struggles to answer, not knowing if he should play along. Subtext has always led to miscommunication between them, and he’s been trying hard to break that cycle.

“I’m sorry I made you worry, Michael,” he says honestly.

Michael takes a sharp breath and for a moment, looks like he’s going to argue or get angry that Alex isn’t playing ball and focusing their conversation on Buffy, but after a moment, he sighs and with it deflates, his shoulders dropping.

“I’m so pissed at you,” Michael whispers, his face pained when he says it, even as he shifts closer to Alex. Moving until there is only enough space between them for Buffy. She looks up at him for a moment before resting back on Alex, not bothered by being nestled between them as Michael leans over and touches the side of Alex’s face, his thumb running over his eyebrow.

“There was a lot of blood,” Michael tells him, his voice a rough whisper. “And you were barely awake. I couldn’t heal you; my powers aren’t strong enough for that yet. I felt useless, and then I got so angry.”

Alex feels a tightness in his chest at Michael’s words. He can tell that Michael means them, and yet his touch is so gentle as he continues to stroke Alex like he’s afraid he’ll disappear if he stops.

“I’m sorry,” he repeats even as it feels inadequate, lacking.

Michael sighs again, tired, but nods at him like he believes him. “Are you in pain?”

Alex shrugs, not wanting to lie, but not wanting to cop to the dull ache at his side either, Michael gives him a knowing look.

“Kyle gave me your meds,” Michael starts as he stands up. “He knew better than to give them to you, because chances are, you’ll just ignore them and suffer in silence,” he continues looking back at him like he’s daring Alex to argue. He can’t, he’s not a fan of pain medication, and they both know that. “Wait here.”

Alex does as he’s told, and gets comfortable on the couch, enjoying the warmth the fire is providing. Michael comes back with a bowl of food, a glass of water and pills in the crook of his elbow.

He places the bowl on the small coffee table in front of them. Buffy makes a noise eyeing it, and Michael answers with a sound of his own.

“I left you some in your bowl, sweetheart, that’s for your dad,” he says to her, and Buffy seems to listen because she hops off the couch and heads for the kitchen.

Alex shakes his head at both of them.

It’s become a common occurrence the more Michael spends time with them at the cabin, that Buffy seems to understand everything Michael says to her. “You spoil her too much. Maria fed her when she was here.”

Michael nods. “I know, she was leaving as I got here,” he says, handing Alex a pill and the water. “But Buffy likes my stew.”

“Spoiling her,” Alex repeats after swallowing the pill, having given up on Michael not feeding her people food, he knows that Michael probably made some stew special without seasonings, just for her.

“I love her,” Michael says easily, as he hands Alex the bowl of beef stew. “It’s my job to spoil her.”

Michael goes to his knees by Alex’s feet and starts to undo his boots and socks before he looks at Alex. “Do you want me to take this off too?” he asks, tapping on the prosthetic.

Alex nods after a moment, watching Michael as he makes a quick and practiced job of removing his prosthetic and the sock that goes with it. He takes the same shaky breath he always does when Michael places a kiss at the end of his leg. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get used to how gentle Michael is with him.

“You spoil me,” he whispers when Michael looks up at him from where he’s still kneeling.

“It’s my job,” Michael repeats meaningfully, and Alex swallows hard, understanding what isn’t being said out loud but is still there.

They sit in silence as they eat once Michael comes back into the living room with his own bowl. Michael smiles that soft smile of his, which feels like it’s just for Alex when he lets out an appreciative sound as he eats.

Proud at the fact that Alex likes it, and Alex is filled with so much warmth and love for him, just when he thinks he’s hit the limit of his love for Michael, he finds that there is more.

Once they’re done, and Michael does away with the dirty dishes, Alex lets him move them around the way he wants, until Michael is lying back on the couch and has pulled Alex on top of him, his arms secure around Alex while Alex rests his head on his chest.

Buffy, who has wandered back from her feast, is resting on the floor next to them, and Alex pets her as his arm hangs over the side.

“Is your wound okay like this?” Michael questions after a while.

Alex hums out a yes, not only has the pain pills started to work their magic, making him wonderfully pain-free, but Michael has positioned them in such a way that there is no pressure on his wound. They keep like that for a while longer, and Alex basks in the feeling of being in Michael’s arms.

“I need you to stop taking these risks,” Michael says quietly, muffled as he speaks into Alex’s hair.

Alex stills, tensing up.

“I know why you’re doing this,” Michael continues, his fingers pressing between Alex’s shoulder blades. “You feel responsible for what your family has done to mine.”

“Michael-“

“And,” Michael continues, cutting him off. “I know I didn’t help that in the months after Caulfield. I was messed up by what happened there, and I took it out on you and made you feel like you were responsible.”

Alex opens his mouth, but nothing comes out.

“I was wrong to do that,” Michael tells him.

Alex lifts his head to look at Michael, a part of him wants to pull away, out of his arms. The guilt he carries choking him as usual. “You aren’t them, you’ve never been them.”

“I have to make it right,” Alex whispers, his eyes stinging while Michael shakes his head. “My family has taken so many of yours.”

“Yes,” Michael agrees, and it feels like a blow, which Alex takes on the chin. “They have.”

Alex makes a pained sound he can’t stop from passing his lips and starts to sit up. Michael lets him but doesn’t let him get far, his hands' cup Alex’s face to make sure Alex looks at him.

“Your family,” he starts. “Your father and brothers have taken so many of my loved ones, my family,” Michael tells him, and Alex has to bite down on his lip to keep from crying.

“And when your brother stabbed you,” Michael continues, a wild, desperate look on his face. “He tried to take the most important one.”

The way Michael looks at him, the love that shines through his eyes and his words, leaves Alex breathless. He holds on to Michael’s wrists, clinging to him. He isn’t the only one crying now.

“You said you were my family, Alex,” Michael reminds him, a tear running down his face. “And you are. The most important part, the most vital to my happiness.”

“Michael,” he gasps, trying to speak through his tears.

“You know I love you, right?” Michael continues, smiling at him through it. “We have been working towards us again, but you have to know how much I love you.”

Alex nods, he does, he’s always known. “I love you too.”

Michael smiles, and it’s the most beautiful thing Alex has ever seen. He lets go of Alex’s face and spreads his arms for him. Alex all but climbs on him to be wrapped up in his arms again, his side sending some discomfort through him at how fast he moves, but he ignores it as Michael holds him close.

“Promise me that you’ll be more careful,” Michael whispers into his shoulder as he hugs him, and Alex is grateful that Michael isn’t asking him to stop completely. Maybe he doesn’t blame him for being a Manes, but Alex will always carry the responsibility of his name, and he has to fix as much as he can of his family’s legacy. “Please.”

Alex nods, and he feels Michael relax in his arms. He’s sure this isn’t the end of this conversation, he’s confident they’ll have it again. His father and his brothers aren’t going to stop their cruelty, and Alex isn’t going to stop trying to put an end to them. He isn’t going to stop until he’s sure that Michael and his family won’t be hurt by them ever again. But for now, they can just hold each other, love each other, the way they’ve always been meant to.

It’s all he’s ever wanted, and it’s enough.

[seeaddywrite]

stars, hide your fires

this fic has been started approximately four different times, & no matter how much i cut or rearrange, it still ends up as a multi-chapter, so i’m giving up the fight & doing it. it’s been a challenge, but one i’m enjoying. currently, i’m guessing this will end up at about ten chapters, depending on how it goes. my goal is to update twice a week -- feel free to keep me accountable. :)

based on this prompt from @roswellprompts: “post-finale. malex eventually, preferably. alex goes undercover with his brothers to learn about the weapon they're developing and pretends he's on their side. everyone suspects he's truly gone dark. even alex can't tell the difference sometimes.”

thanks to @soberqueerinthewild for letting me rant about this fic, reading over it, & for basically being the best. also, thanks to @ubiestcaelum for Hunter’s name & being generally awesome. 

“Manes, come on,” Valenti whines from behind Alex, sounding more like a disappointed teenager than the fully grown, mature man  he’s supposedly become. “Liz is cooking at Evans’ tonight, and neither of us get enough home cooking to miss it.”

The feel of displaced air on the back of his neck as Kyle steps up behind him makes Alex tense a little -- it’s hard to relax with people out of his line of sight, even when it’s someone he trusts. Old habits die hard, and Alex has plenty of reason to remain vigilant. But since Kyle Valenti has somehow stepped back into his life and decided to fill the position of ‘best friend’ that he’d vacated back in high school, Alex doesn’t react, and only rolls his eyes at the whining.

“You’re only this desperate to go because you know Liz is bringing Arturo’s enchiladas,” Alex teases him, knowing full well that no one would be this excited over Liz’s cooking. The woman is a genius with lab equipment, but she lacks when it comes to measuring cups and kitchen timers. He’s learned that the hard way over the many dinner get-togethers their little circle has held in the last several months. It’s a habit Liz started when Rosa was first brought back, and she, Michael, and Isobel were still grieving Max, and it’s continued even now that Rosa has fully reintegrated to Roswell living and they’ve successfully managed to bring Max back from the dead.

Alex won’t admit it aloud, but those dinners have quickly become his favorite part of the week. Having Liz and Rosa around so often is a balm to the loneliness he’s been battling for months, and when Maria joins them -- still, unfortunately, in the dark about the alien truths -- Alex can almost pretend everything is back to normal. And on top of that, he’s found that he actually likes Max and Isobel Evans, despite rocky beginnings. In some tangential way, they’re family; no matter what his relationship status with Michael, that will always be true.

And then, of course, there’s the fact that those dinners are the one time that he’s guaranteed to see Guerin smile. They’ve passed the awkward exes phase, and now that the relationship with Maria has died a natural death, Alex doesn’t even feel guilty when their eyes meet and he feels that old, familiar chemistry flare between them. It’s a slow, delicious burn, and he’s looking forward to the resolution.

“Obviously,” Valenti agrees with an unconcerned shrug, drawing Alex back into their banter and away from distracting thoughts of Guerin. “But if you tell Liz I said that, I’m telling her that you fed the last meal she left for you to the beagle after she left.” He shoves playfully at Alex’s shoulder, and takes the return swat in stride before returning to his attempts at persuasion.“But, seriously, we’ve been through those files a thousand times already. You’re not going to find anything we haven’t already seen, so I think whatever this is can wait until tomorrow so we can go get some decent food for once. Don’t you?”

It probably could wait until tomorrow. There’s no reason for Alex to believe the incongruous firewall he’d just run into in some of Project Shepherd’s newest files is hiding anything more than the usual information on alien torture disguised as science -- but something in his gut is telling him that he needs to dig deeper, to find out what lies behind the wall of code that had been cleverly hidden in plain sight. And if Alex learned anything during his time on active duty, it’s that he should always trust his gut.

“You go ahead,” he tells Kyle, most of his attention still directed at the complicated coding sequences he’s creating with sharp, precise movements of his fingers over the keyboard. “Tell everyone I’ll see them soon, but there’s something here, and I --” Alex blinks in surprise, cutting himself off. “-- wow. It’s like they’re not even trying to keep me out.”

Like most of Jesse Manes’ sad attempts at cyber security, the firewall keeping Alex from the information he wants buckles under the weight of less than five minutes of Alex’s direct attention. He’s not even surprised, anymore -- his father has always been more of a bruiser than a thinker, and coding takes a certain kind of creativity, an ability to create. A man who only knows how to destroy could never possess that skill.

Both men go silent and still as images begin to pop up on the screens, and Alex swallows convulsively to quell sudden nausea. Surveillance footage from Roswell -- all from the last six months. Somehow, Project Shepherd has remained up and running despite Alex’s father’s sudden disappearance from the scene, and whoever’s behind it has been watching both Evans’ houses, Michael’s trailer, and the Crashdown, from the looks of things.

Panic begins to swell in the back of Alex’s mind as he remembers all of the things that have happened in those locations -- all of the suddenly not-dead people who have walked through those entryways, all of the alien powers that are showcased so cavalierly in the sanctity of their own homes. Michael’s got his bunker beneath the Airstream, for crying out loud! So many secrets. So many possibilities for discovery. And if Project Shepherd knows the truth, it’s only a matter of time before Michael and his siblings are dragged off to another off-books facility to suffer the same fate as the people they’d watched die at Caulfield.

Fuck.

If the surveillance was the worst of it, Alex could have dealt with it. Deleting the photos and video is the work of a moment, and he knows that his brothers -- who have to be heading things up in Jesse’s absence -- don’t have the skills to protect anything online from him. It’s a pain, and he’ll have to keep checking to be certain that new cameras haven’t been positioned, but overall, the situation would be manageable. He could control the intel received, could make sure there was never enough solid evidence to move against Michael or the twins.

But Alex has no power over the half-drawn schematics of the weapon he’s staring at now.

At least, that’s what he thinks he’s looking at -- he’s no engineer, and the scribbles on the scanned paper may as well be written in Mandarin, for all Alex knows. But the info dump says it’s alien tech of some sort, geared toward taking out their own kind -- and Alex knows, immediately, that he cannot risk his brothers or any military personnel gaining access to it. Not when Alex’s world still at least half-revolves around Michael Guerin, despite their newly minted status as friends. Not when Max and Isobel have somehow become part of his family, too, through his determination to keep Michael in his life and help bring Max back from the dead. Not when Liz and Rosa and Kyle could lose everything, if all of this were brought to light by the wrong people.

“What do we do with this?” Kyle asks finally, breaking the tense silence in the bunker. It’s been at least twenty minutes of staring, horror-struck at the screen, and Alex is no closer to an answer than he was when they started. “We have to warn them. There’s no way whoever’s running the show --”

“Flint,” Alex interrupts, his voice hard. “It has to be Flint. And probably the others, too. Dad always drags Charlie along with him on whatever he’s doing, and Hunter’s never too far behind.” Alex’s comment to Flint about mindlessly following the flock is accurate for all of his brothers. With the occasional exception of Charlie, who Alex knows tried to be a better brother to him for a while, they’re all soldiers, highly decorated and respected in their fields -- but none of them have ever been willing to go against their father.

Kyle’s lips thin, but he nods agreement. “Fine. There’s no way Flint knows about all this and isn’t planning a move, Alex. We’ve gotta get them all out of town. And probably ourselves, too. If they manage to develop this weapon --”

“We’re not running,” Alex snaps, punching the power control on the monitors so that the screens go dark. He spins his chair to look at Valenti, and knows that the expression on his face is far from reassuring -- he’s simultaneously panicking and furious, and he can’t contain it all within himself without just a little spilling over into his features.

Because slowly, an idea is forming in the back of his head. No one is going to like it -- God knows Alex doesn’t, but it’s the only way out of this fucking mess that Alex can see, and he’s desperate enough to protect Guerin and the others that he’s willing to take the risk.

“Alex, I don’t think we have a choice,” Valenti tells him firmly, and Alex’s eyes aren’t the ones that are wide and full to the brim with a frantic need to move, to do something. He starts to pace around Alex’s chair as he speaks, picking up speed with every word and step until it’s hard for Alex to understand. “Even if I was okay with the idea of your dickhead family marching in and kidnapping Evans and the others, I’m the one who put your dad in that coma. How long do you think it’ll take them to connect those dots? They’ll find him. They’ll wake him up, and it won’t just be the aliens they’re after anymore.”

There’s a moment of tense silence as Alex levers himself out of the computer chair and takes a few steps, working the stiffness from sitting too long out of his bad leg. “We’re not running,” he repeats, and this time, his voice is full of purpose. “I have an idea. It’s -- awful, but it’s the only way we’re going to be able to live out our lives without constantly looking over our shoulders.” Alex straightens his spine and stands at his full height, regarding Kyle solemnly and making it as clear as he can that he’s not going to hear any arguments.

“I’m going to infiltrate Project Shepherd, and we’re going to bring them down.”

[nerdtrash-iteration]

(Re)watching Doctor Who: series 7

Alright onto Matt Smith’s final series. I had heard a lot of complaints about this series before diving in but I wanted to keep an open mind about it. Let’s go.

Series 7 (Eleventh Doctor) Part 1 7.X1: The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe I honestly really like this Christmas special. It isn’t one of the better ones but I think it’s charming for what it is. I really like the forest setting and the digger crew, they had loads of personality. I love how protective the mother is of her kids. I really like the pseudo Time Vortex used at the end and the happy ending it brings. Yeah the kids aren’t amazing characters and the plot is a bit all over the place, but I still really liked it. Also the ending scene with the Ponds is really touching. 7.1: Asylum of the Daleks This gave me a bit of tonal whiplash seeing Amy and Rory broken up all of a sudden. And I was dreading another Dalek story. But I really liked it! I love the creepy setting, the interactions between Amy and Rory and this is the first time I’ve been excited about a Dalek story in ages. Loved this first version of Clara. The ending really surprised me and really got me emotional :( Overall a decent start to series 7. 7.2: Dinosaurs on a Spaceship Mixed but mostly positive feelings on this episode. I think the villain and the plot aren’t great and definitely could have done some tidying up. But I do like the goofy tone and the new characters we meet. Especially Rory’s dad, a legend. 7.3: A Town Called Mercy Ugggghhhhhhh. Again there’s that bias against stories set in America. I do like some things about it. Love seeing the Doctor angry and trying to enact moral judgment. Some interesting ethical stuff at play here. This guy is a doctor helping people but he is a war criminal. But I just found it mostly underwhelming. Didn’t care for the cyborg nor the setting. 7.4: The Power of Three Disappointed this wasn’t the 3rd episode in series 7, would have really been good timing. Anyway I’m very fond of this episode. Love Rory’s dad again, love the slow pace allowing the characters to have meaningful interactions. I like that it’s addressed that Amy and Rory really do have the ability to spend weeks away from their “normal” time apparently without missing anything. The ending is pretty weak but I have heard there were production issues around that so I’ll forgive it. This is a bit of a frustrating episode in the context of the next one when you look at the arc of the Ponds, but I do like it on its own. 7.5: The Angels Take Manhattan I remember friends of mine being devastated when this episode aired. So I know this is the last episode the Ponds appear in and I know what’s happens to them in the graveyard at the end. But I was really impressed with the use of time travel in the episode’s plot, especially how the novel predicts what happens. I was annoyed at how inconsistent the Angels were at times. In the scene before Amy and Rory jump, there were plenty of times where no-one was looking at the Statue of Liberty Angel. Why didn’t it take them then??? Also while I love the episode on its own, it is strange in the context of the Ponds’ arc. These last few episodes have had them conflicted on whether they should continue travelling with the Doctor. In the previous episode, they decide they will. And now they’re dead. Just seems a bit jarring with its pacing. But overall I do love this episode. Part 2 7.X2: The Snowmen Damn, do I have mixed feelings on this episode. I think I saw bits of it at the time of airing? Anyway I really don’t care for the Snowmen, the ice nanny nor the Great Intelligence. I only really cared for the Great Intelligence as a character in The Name of the Doctor. Most of the time I found him really boring. Anyway plenty of positive things in this episode. Love Matt Smith’s Victorian garb. Really like this new version of Clara and the use of the Paternoster gang, especially Strax. Also I will always be mesmerised by the scene where Clara ascends the spiral staircase through the clouds up to the TARDIS. The whole double life things she has going is a bit weird, didn’t really get that. 7.6: The Bells of Saint John Yiiiiiiiiiiikes. This single episode made it very clear to me why so many Doctor Who fans hate series 7b. This version of Clara really ain’t it so far, but I think that’s mostly down to this really bizarre script. Clara being someone in her mid 20s who doesn’t know how to connect to WiFi, Jesus Christ. I know it was 2013 but STILL.  Also she makes ONE JOKE about Twitter and the Doctor responds with “Omg you’re a genius now, how can that be”. I hated that. Had anyone in their mid 20s actually glanced at this script? I thought the WiFi plot was ehh. But it was quite chilling to see how it ended. With the villain being reduced to a child state, that was really sad. I also really liked the TARDIS appearing on a plane, with Clara still holding her cup of tea. And the Doctor cycling up the Shard. It’s unfortunate that Clara outsmarting the bad guys is nullified by the fact that her intelligence is not her own here. Anyway a very frustrating start to series 7b. 7.7: The Rings of Akhaten This episode was definitely an improvement to me over the very shaky start. Clara has a bit more to do here, we see some depth with how she feels about her mother’s death. I really like Akhaten as a setting. The monster is alright, not amazing but I’ll take it. I also like some of the interactions the Doctor and Clara have. Overall a decent step forward. 7.8: Cold War Oh no, here we go again. Nothing really glaringly bad about this episode but I just found it really lackluster and boring. I felt Clara went a step backwards here and didn’t have much to do. Setting didn’t really interest me. I did actually like Clara’s interactions with the trapped Ice Warrior. That was cool. 7.9: Hide This! This is a decent one for me in series 7b. I adore the authenticity with the ghost hunters’ costumes and equipment. I really felt like I was watching a 70s horror film. This is one of those rare cases for me where giving a sci-fi explanation to something supernatural makes it more interesting. I thought the pocket dimension was creepy and I loved the future-dweller’s use in the story. Few quibbles being I didn’t think the ghost hunters had quite enough chemistry. Also I found the rules of the episode a bit inconsistent. Apparently it’s near impossible for the TARDIS to survive long in the pocket dimension. And yet it gets in there twice? 7.10: Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS Another episode I have mixed feelings on. FIrstly I adore the setting. I love being reminded that the TARDIS is a truly complex and dangerous beast to be in the belly of, especially when it is being threatened. I liked that the Doctor and Clara have some solid interactions here, with the Doctor venting his frustration at her constant reappearances as different people. I really liked the group’s future selves being used as the villains. I thought the resolution was okay, could have been a bit more interesting. I didn’t super care for the three brothers in this storyline and thought lying to one about being an android really took me out of it. But decent overall. 7.11: The Crimson Horror Ahhhhhh, I really wanted to like this episode. I really like how it starts with the Doctor and Clara being absent for a while and seeing how the mystery unfolds. I like the Paternoster gang and I really think the villain’s plan is interesting. A religious cult foretelling the apocalypse and building a perfect town for select members. And then causing said apocalypse. But when the Doctor and Clara return it all goes to hell. I hated the Doctor kissing Jenny Flint, that was really out of place. As well as the erection joke, just why. I found the villain extremely cartoonish and not in an enjoyable way. She literally says “Die, you freaks!” towards the end. Also Clara really was not it in this episode. I thought the weird parasite thing was pretty cool though, right level of creepy. And I liked the scarred daughter getting her revenge. But overall a very frustrating episode. 7.12: Nightmare in Silver God, this episode annoyed me so much. I really wanted to like it. It had a really good creepy setting. Good way to bring the Cybermen back. I liked some of the side characters, particularly the emperor in hiding. But God, I hated the kids in this story. They just suck. Super annoying. Really didn’t need to be there. Also I wasn’t into the Doctor/Cybercontroller interactions. There wasn’t enough of a distinction for me to take it seriously. It just felt like Matt Smith talking to himself and trying to sound menacing. 7.13: The Name of the Doctor And we’re at the end of this strange series of Doctor Who! I think this is a pretty solid end. I was sick of Trenzalore being referred to and not making sense but I’m glad we got some clarity on it here. I liked the use of the psychic conference call and the Paternoster gang’s involvement. I thought the Whisper Men were decently creepy. Really liked the idea of the TARDIS’ exterior growing. And I was glad that Clara’s multiple lives were finally explained. And I felt it worked pretty well. And it was a lovely tribute to the series as a whole, seeing her with multiple Doctors. My main quibble is that Jenny was revived really quickly after the Whisper Men killed her?? That was quite frustrating. Overall I didn’t hate this series. But I did see why so many were frustrated by it. There are some decent stories in here but there’s also a whole lot of mess as well.

[abybweisse]

Mother3 theory: Reapers and Magypsies, Undertaker and Dr. Andonuts

Warning: long post!

Now, I’ve already mentioned, in previous posts about Mother3 theory, several parallels between reapers and Magypsies, as well as several parallels between Undertaker and three characters: Dr. Andonuts, Nippolyte, and Fassad. (And I’ll first go into some stuff about those parallels, especially since the revelations of ch149!)

However, after discussions with @shinigami-mistress and @mrscreant I’ve been reminded of something else Undertaker (all the reapers, in this case) have in common with Dr. Andonuts. They are not (completely) hindered by time and space.

Magypsies are magical people (the name is a combination of “magical” and “gypsy”) who live on Nowhere Islands and apparently had lived there for a very long time, generation after generation. However, there were now only seven left, and they say they’ve lived upwards of a thousand years, just waiting for someone to come along and fulfill a prophecy and release them from this place (this plane of existence). The prophecy states that someone will come along with the power to pull up the seven needles (more like swords stuck in the ground) that they guard. Once this is accomplished, the Dark Dragon will reawaken and, following the heart of the person who woke it, obey its will. It had been subdued into slumber by those seven needles (like acupuncture) ages ago because it was considered too powerful, but it was believed that someday its power would be needed by mankind again. Mirror twin brothers, Claus and Lucas, compete to wake the Dark Dragon, and the only reason they compete against each other is because Claus had died and been turned into a heartless Fascinating Chimera. He’s being controlled by the self-proclaimed king, King Porky. When Claus is finally reminded of who he is/used to be, he sacrifices what’s left of himself, so that Lucas may prevail and have the Dark Dragon follow his good heart. The Magypsies say that if the person who wakes the dragon has a good heart, the dragon will do good deeds. Someone with a bad heart will have it do bad deeds. Someone who is heartless? They think the dragon might destroy the world; the world will cease to exist at all. (Also note that Lucas is helped the entire time by his loyal family dog, Boney, including the dog walking on its hind legs while dressed as/pretending to be a human.)

In Black Butler, the big parallel to this part is the fact that there are mirror twin boys, (real) Ciel and his younger twin, and the older one is sacrificed. As that occurs, the younger twin wakes the demon from his long sleep. That demon is given the name Sebastian (after the loyal but now dead family dog), but we also know him as the Black Butler. (Real) Ciel has been turned into a Bizarre Doll and has taken back his birthright of becoming the earl and the watchdog of Queen Victoria. The younger twin is using the immense power of this Black Butler to fulfill not a prophecy, per se, but a contract. We don’t know of any “prophecies” in the Kuroverse, but that could change, and it might have something to do with reapers.... I’ll discuss this further in a separate post! Anyway, instead of long-lived Magypsies guarding needles, we have long-punished reapers who must work as such (collect, and you could even say, guard souls) until they are forgiven and allowed to “move on”... to something.... cough cough

Now... Nippolyte is a local, rather eccentric gravedigger, friend of Lucas’ family, and open opponent to the king. He was even entrusted with the task of passing a “treasured” family heirloom from Flint (the twins’ father) to Lucas. Fassad is a Magypsy who was once called Locria, but he deserted the other Magypsies and decided to turn against them; he tried to help the Fascinating Chimera Claus win the competition, which would have likely destroyed the entire world.... cough cough Dr. Andonuts is the inventor of Fascinating Chimera and all sorts of other inventions.

Bringing this back to Black Butler, Undertaker assumes this identity and practiced that occupation of undertaker and gravedigger. He once called himself 136649, which was his reaper registration number, but he refused to go by his original name (theorized to be Cedric K. Ros—, but it hasn’t been made canon... yet). Just like Locria/Fassad (sounds like facade, a face or mask) turned against the other Magypsies, Undertaker has turned away from the reaper organization... and even half-destroyed their HQ roughly 70 years prior... His issue with Queen Victoria might actually be dwarfed by his issue with the “superiors” or “higher-ups” in the reaper organization... cough cough. He’s also the inventor of Bizarre Dolls, which are reanimated corpses; they lack souls (just like the Fascinating Chimera of Claus lacks a “heart”). Right now, even though he’s no fan of the queen, he’s helping Bizarre Doll (real) Ciel regain his birthright, etc... for whatever reason, but that’s not even his original reason for messing around with cinematic records (cough cough). Undertaker has been inventing things, too: that “useless” contraption for “controlling” Bizarre Dolls is probably something he made, though it doesn’t seem to do anything. He might have had help from someone (like Druitt, who has a medical license) to build the dialysis machines and blood work equipment. Sieglinde gets to be a second parallel to Dr. Andonuts because of her chemistry work and inventions, particularly because of the Spider Legs she made, which are almost identical to an early version of the same thing made by Dr. Andonuts.

Anyway! One of Dr. Andonuts’ inventions is a time-traveling machine. Pokey Minch steals a prototype that malfunctions: he can travel back and forth in time and space, but the process ages him to the point that he can no longer move; he lives but keeps aging. Dr. Andonuts later makes another one that doesn’t have that issue, so he can move through time and space without being aged by the process. On top of that, all Magypsies (Dr. Andonuts is not one, though) can fly or float away, and when their needles are pulled up, they disappear as if they are being zapped or faded out of existence. (Oddly enough, Ionia, the best parallel to Grelle, apparently needs to wear makeup in order to fly. Perhaps all of them do?)

There has been a lot of talk regarding how reapers get the future information they have, as well as all the anachronistic items. Partly, it could be that they work off of prophecies, but I was also reminded by @mrscreant what Grelle says about death scythes being able to slice through anything, including dimensions. This allows them the ability to kill even demons with their death scythes. It could have something to do with how they deal with the constraints of not only space but also time, since time is a dimension. That’s possible, though there is a difference between slicing dimensions and passing between them. But we know they can also become invisible and even apparate and disapparate. Grelle uses that method in order to kill another JtR victim while Madam Red is still at Druitt’s party. We’ve seen Sascha and Ludger/Rudgar do that from a tree limb after the younger twin/our earl sees them (they were supposed to be invisible at the time) ... as well as Grelle and Othello do that from Phantomhive Manor; they end up going to a pub.

So, with their own reaper abilities, plus the interesting properties of their death scythes, reapers might be able to get information (and possibly even objects) from the future. However, I still think there is someone working off of their own knowledge of the future... or at least prophecies... cough cough.... Another post. 😉

Something important to note: whatever they can do in the future aside, they apparently cannot do shit about the past.

Otherwise, what would stop them from going back in time to keep things from happening? What would keep Undertaker from going back in time to save Phantomhives from death? What would stop reapers from keeping their past selves from committing suicide? They cannot change what has already happened.

[jaybug-jabbers]

Bug Run 4: The Final Reckoning

So, here’s the thing. I wanted to go into this last gauntlet as low-levelled as possible.

So I tried several times. I’ll give some recaps of those warm-ups. But in the end, I did find I needed to level up on levels on par with Cynthia in order  to properly face her. I do want to include the warm-ups, however, because those lower Elite fights become quite trivial at higher levels. So I feel like the warm-ups do cast an important light on the merits of the team.

Just as a quick refesher on the rules:

1.) no healing items during battle unless the foe uses them first, and then I can only match the items one-for-one.

2.) no entering the Elite four at levels higher than the highest-level pokemon in the Elites/Champion.

Warm-Up One

With this first warm-up, my team was all at levels 55. Honestly, they did surprisingly well, all things considered. The first few Elites, specializing in Bug and Ground, were not any trouble. After all, ROFLCOPTER’s Ancient Power/Air Slash could just sweep the bug team, and I had plenty of ways of handling the ground team as well. (In fact, Maestro took out Rhyperior all on his own– which I am so proud of. The power of Screech and Brick Break, and Rhyperior missing one of his Megahorns, heh.)

The true challenge was Flint.

One of only two Elites who specialize in the Fire type, surely this was the true test of a bug team’s mettle.

I started off with my Drapion, as you can imagine his typing and his Earthquake were pretty important for this match. Sadly I fall JUST short of a 1HKO on Houndoom. The dog gets Sunny Day up, which is … really, really bad. Then Flint heals. I take out Houndoom the next time, but that’s the least of my concerns. Infernape is next up, and I send out Yanmega, because I’m certain it will outspeed Drapion. After a little Protect just in case, I Air Slash, which juuuuuuust barely falls short of killing. Fortunately Infernape Flare Blitzes and takes us both out. My Black Fang is back out again, squaring off against Flareon. Sadly, my EQ doesn’t one-shot, so I get an Overheat straight to the face. I finally bring Flareon down, but next up is the scary horse that is Very Fast. I revive my dragonfly (potion was used on Houndoom) and send him out. While Rapidash spends a turn getting Sunny Day back up, I throw some rocks. Another turn of rocks and it goes down, but then the major problem hits.

It’s Magmortar. In the sun, no less.

My Ancient Power hardly even phases him, depressingly. Once ROFL goes down, that’s it. Magmortar outspeeds everyone in a giant ball of fire.

Warm-Up Two

So, no real surprise that Magmortar presented a bit of a problem for us. My second warm-up had my team all at levels 57 when I started out. This is the level of Flint’s ace poke. These higher levels made things a lot easier: Black Fang took Houndoom out in one hit, preventing Sunny Day. ROFL’s Air Slash on Infernape took him out clean this time. Fang’s EQ could also clean out Flareon in one hit. Rapidash was the first to not fall to one hit: he took one Ancient Power, just barely. However, ROFL somehow survived the Flare Blitz and Rapidash fell to recoil.

I’m sad to say ROFL’s rocks still barely put a dent in Magmortar; and Magmortar still outsped nearly everyone on my team still. Except for one– Black Fang. Thankfully, EQ killed, letting us squeak on by.

The last Elite member was a Psychic specialist. As you can imagine, for a full-bug team, this wasn’t too terrifying a prospect. I sent Maestro out first, 1HKOing the Mr. Mime. Gallade was the ace, and pretty damn tough. I decide to send Fang out to get a couple Scary Faces off, because his speed terrifies me. Then I smash away with Poison Jabs, poisoning him in the process. I’m almost home free until (of course) Full Restore rains on my parade. So I continue the process, stabbing away with Poison Jab, but my foe decides to be clever and switch Bronzong in. I try using Crunch on it just to see, but it’s not really worth much; I drop to Extrasensory and probably shouldn’t have wasted Drapion like that.

That said, Maestro goes in and has this covered for me. I’ve spent many an hour beating up Bronzongs in Victory Road and know that one Screech and the bell falls to my X-Scissors, despite the bulk and the resistances. No worries.

Gallade returns from his break, so I send ROFL in. I proect on what I think is his last Stone Edge before Air Slashing him to death.

Last is Alakazam. Air Slash puts him at 1 HP, which is quite annoying, because of course Full Restore is next. Yes, I don’t have Bug Buzz on ROFL. I know, that’s a bit silly, but I wanted to pack a bunch of coverage moves on him. Anyway, I bring Fiberglass in and smash away with Iron Heads as plan B. I take 2 Focus Blasts to the face easily and immerge victorious.

Easy peasy.

But truth be told, despite how far we had gotten, we just weren’t ready for a particular pokemon to come.

Cynthia’s opeing Spiritomb is easy enough. I used Cleo to toxic it and healed heavily, and swooped in with Attack Order when the time was ripe.

Togekiss was out next, which … is pretty scary. I had equipped Black Fang with Rock Slide, but Togekiss is still bulky as fuck. Plus, Air Slash did a LOT to Fang, even though it wasn’t super effective. I got lucky with the flinches, simply put (even after one full restore from our champion). Somehow, against a Togekiss, this seems fitting, though.

Luck wasn’t going to carry us through Garchomp, though. The run ended there, once again in flames. It was just too high-levelled and too strong.

Warm-Up Three

I spent some time grinding more, getting the team up to levels 60-62. I also bought and grabbed a few extra HMs and items. I would need to be careful and incredibly precise with this battle.

This fight came so incredibly close. It certainly confirmed I was on the right track.

I opened with Fiberglass, setting down my Stealth Rock. I bashed away at Spiritomb with Iron Head, which was around a four or five hit kill. That sounds slow, but Fiberglass resisted the Dark Pulses and Shadow Balls that it threw at me, so it was quite reasonable. I did get some bad luck with a Special Defense drop on a Shadow Ball, though. This means when Cynthia stopped to potion up, I did too. Eventually Spiritomb fell, though.

Next was Garchomp. She was going right to the big guns this time. I had a plan for this, though. I sent out my Drapion, equipped with a Focus Sash. The plan was Scary Face. I absolutely needed to drop its terrible speed. Lacking any paralyzing moves whatsoever, Scary Face was all I had. Earthquake brought me down to 2 HP (which was hilarious, not even consuming the sash) and I got the Scary Face off; then I pondered my next move. I decided to risk swapping Cleopatra in.

She switched in on an Earthquake as I had hoped, and then was able to Toxic. She tanked Garchomp’s Flamethrower damn admirably, and was able to heal off the damage several times. Then a critical hit catches her and she goes down. Still, it felt like holding back an ocean tide, and I was impressed she managed to do it as long as she did.

Then I sent Maestro in.

“A fucking Kricketune against a Garchomp?” you ask. “Are you mad?”

But this Kricketune had a Pomeg berry and that weird move Natural Gift. As most of you probably don’t remember this weird-ass move introduced in gen IV, the move’s power and typing changes depending on the berry you hold. It’s kind of like Hidden Power, but easier to manipulate … but can only be done once, as it consumes the berry.

Pomeg berry translates to a base 70 Ice attack. And it worked, taking the Garchomp down. It was deeply satisfying.

Next was Togekiss. I had hoped Fiberglass could do a little chip damage but her health was just too low and she went down immediately. Somehow, I manage to take Togekiss out with 2 Ancient Powers from ROFL, though (after surviving an Air Slash).

Milotic is out next, and I’m fully aware how tanky this beast is. I send out Sparkler to try a Bug Buzz, and get a very lucky critical hit– sending the HP down to 1/3. Ice beam then takes us out, but ROFL can easily revenge with Air Slash.

Lucario is next! I try Air Slash, and it brings him down to less then ½ health, which is great! But what’s not so great is Lucario has Stone Edge. Another bug drops.

Maestro manages to get the kill with Brick Break– surviving a Stone Edge to do so. It feels fantastic, but we’re in deep trouble now. I’m down to just two pokemon; Maestro and Black Fang, and they’re both in the low red.

It’s just not quite enough. She outspeeds Maestro and so he’s gone.

And that’s it. The run stops here. I know Fang can’t 1HKO.

We came so close, though. So ridiculously close. What if our luck had been just a little bit better? Or what if … what if I put the Focus Sash on Sparkler? I’d already seen Fang could just barely survive one hit.

What would happen then?

One More Fight

The rematch is very, very similar to before, with only a few small differences.

This time round, Fiberglass got through Spiritomb a little more easily. I didn’t need to use a potion to get through it when Cynthia potioned it; I just plugged away and brought the ghost down.

The fight with Garchomp went pretty similarly. I got a Scary Face off with Drapion, swapped Cleo in, did some toxic stalling … although once Garchomp’s health gets into the red and I choose “Toxic” again, anticipating the Full Restore, for some odd reason it never comes. Garchomp Dragon Rushes instead– which misses, and toxic of course fails. The following turn, Garchomp goes down. I have no idea why Cynthia didn’t Full Restore that time, but in the long run, it didn’t make a difference, as you will see.

Next up was Togekiss, and I send Fiberglass back in, but potion up Drapion this time– using the potion I was owed that Cynthia used before on her Spiritomb. Fiberglass goes down to a critical Air Slash, and Drapion goes out to tough it out again with Rock Slides. Once again, Cynthia potioning up and I need to Rock Slide through another round, but manage to not fall victom to Rock Slide misses. I’m thankful.

Milotic is next again, and Sparkler Bug Buzzes. He does not score a crit this time, and I see just how pitiful the damage is when it’s not a crit. Oof. My sash is consumed and I get one more hit off, which helps, but Milotic is not as low as before. When I send ROFL in, Air Slash does not kill.

Oddly, Milotic decides to Mirror Coat instead of Ice Beam. I take heavy damage but don’t die. I try to Giga Drain, now confused over what Milotic was doing, and thinking the HP might help me survive a non-ice hit. It brings Milotic down into the red but she still doesn’t DIE, and Cynthia potions back up.

This wasn’t going good. I attack more, finally go down to an Ice Beam, and bring Fang in to revenge-kill with a Poison Jab, which thankfully does the job.

Lucario is out next. I swap in Cleo, who’s in the low red. I use the chance to do one thing: potion Drapion back up again. Cleo goes down, and Drapion can kill with one EQ.

Finally, Roserade. I’m back to the same scenario as before– with Maestro and Fang the last ones standing– but both are at full health this time.

Two Poison Jabs take Roserade down, and that’s that.

This is a repost on a new blog. The original post was on Dec 14, 2018.

[shipburner]

HEY HEY HEY LOOK WHAT I DID IT’S BABY’S FIRST TATTERPIG

This is Avatar Cycle, a three-page d6-based Avatar tabletop roleplaying game with conflict resolution based not on physical ability but on one’s approach to solving problems, inspired by @progmanx‘s excellent “Jings and Other Things”.

The full text is also below the cut, and the Dropbox link for the PDF is https://www . dropbox . com/s/zx89pjs2wk4zpq5/Avatar%20Cycle%20Original.pdf?dl=0 (broken up so this post will show up in Tumblr searches).

Please tell me what you think!

Avatar Cycle: A Roleplaying System for the World of Bending

Avatar Cycle. Avatar Cycle is a game made for having adventures in the fantastical world of bending presented in Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino’s Avatar: the Last Airbender and Avatar: the Legend of Korra, intended to reflect themes of the show, specifically those of personal and interpersonal growth, and the fact that any bender is benefited by learning about all the elements. Avatar Cycle is a fan work created by Nausicaä Harris and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 3.0 license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/

Abilities and Mechanics. Avatar Cycle takes a new approach to conflict resolution, where the determining factor is not a measure of capability but of familiarity with an approach. The system’s four abilities are Water, measuring your ability to counteract, adapt, and change the situation; Earth, measuring your ability to block, maintain position, and assess; Fire, measuring your ability to attack and press the advantage; and Air, measuirng your ability to dodge and move to a new position.

To make a check, you 1) propose your action, 2) determine the relevant skill, 3) determine what ability best matches your proposed approach, and 4) roll all the six-sided dice you have for these together. The gamemaster either sets a target number for an obstacle or makes an opposed check for an opponent (or, when player characters come into conflict, they make their own opposed checks). Dice are successes on a 4-6 and failures on a 1-3.

If you have more successes than the target number or the opponent’s roll, you succeed on the check; if you have fewer successes, you can either fail in your attempt, or succeed but introduce a complication, some setback in the story, be it economic, mental, physical, social, or tactical. You can also make a check to help another character with their check; they can roll an extra die for their check for every success you earn. Complications and helping allow you to learn lessons and advance.

Skills. In contrast to the four abilities, there are many skills available to characters in Avatar Cycle, and characters are encouraged to learn many skills instead of focusing on just a few. You do not need to have dice in a skill to make a check with it. Bending skills have special rules for learning them.

Acrobatics – jumping, tumbling, tightrope-walking, and other activities of that sort.

Airbending – a spiritual art used to control the air itself.

Animal Lore – caring for and communicating with your animal friends.

Artificial Science – chemistry, materials science, physics, and proper research procedures.

Bloodbending [Waterbending, Fire 5] – the use of the water in animal bodies to exert your will over their body.

Breath Control [Airbending, Air 2] – the use of air to warm or cool oneself with one’s breathing, or to avoid the need to breathe.

Chi-Blocking – cutting off the flow of chi in someone’s body to weaken them and their bending.

Chores – cooking, cleaning, laundry, and maintaining one’s equipment – all the little tasks that we’d be helpless without.

Climbing – vertical motion for those of us who can’t bend.

Convincing – using your words to solve problems. Whether you tell the truth or not is up to you.

Driving – controlling land vehicles.

Earthbending – a spiritual art used to control the very earth.

Energybending – a spiritual art used to bend the energy within someone, taking or restoring bending ability.

Engineering – making buildings or machines that work, or making buildings or machines work better.

Firebending – a spiritual art used to produce flame without flint or tinder.

Gaming – whether you think pai sho is a game of strategy or of speed and chance, this is the skill you’d use for it.

Hard Labor – building, digging, and otherwise exerting yourself (without the use of bending).

Healing [Waterbending, Water 3] – the use of the water in animal bodies to open blocked chi paths and facilitate healing.

Investigating – trying to find out information in detail.

Launched Weapons – attacking with projectiles from a launching device.

Lavabending [Earthbending, Air 5] – the spiritual ability to bend rock in its molten form.

Leadership – coordinating a group effort of any kind.

Lightning Redirection [Firebending, Water 3] – the spiritual ability to harmlessly channel electricity through your body.

Lightningbending [Firebending, Fire 5] – the spiritual ability to create and direct electric current.

Martial Arts – attacking with nothing more than your body.

Medicine – acupuncture, anatomy, first aid, intensive care, pharmacology, prosthetics, psychiatry, and surgery.

Metalbending [Earthbending, Earth 5] – the ability to bend metal by concentrating on the tiny bits of earth still within it.

Natural Science – astronomy, botany, geology, hydrology, and zoology.

Performing Art – acting, dancing, music, readings; any creative pursuit you need an audience for.

Piloting – controlling air vehicles.

Plantbending [Waterbending, Earth 3] – the use of the water in plants to move them about.

Resources – your ability to acquire goods and services, legally or illegally.

Riding – controlling a mount.

Sailing – controlling water vehicles.

Sandbending [Earthbending, Water 3] – the spiritual ability to bend sand while keeping it fluid.

Seismic Sense [Earthbending, Earth 3] – the spiritual ability to see by receiving vibrations transmitted through earth or metal through your skin.

Sneaking – moving about stealthily.

Social Science – history, philosophy, political science, and sociology.

Soundbending [Airbending, Air 3] – the directed manipulation of air currents to produce sound.

Spirit Lore – dealing with the spirits, knowing their natures and history, and meditating to visit the spirit world.

Spirit Projection [Airbending, Air 5] – the ability to leave your physical body and maneuver spiritually while still remaining in the physical world.

Spiritbending [Waterbending, Water 5] – the use of water to channel calming energy around angry spirits.

Studio Art – calligraphy, carving, clothing design, composition, drawing, painting, sculpting, writing; any creative pursuit that stays around once you’re done making it.

Swimming – moving through water, if you can’t bend it around you.

Swung Weapons – attacking with weapons that require some good arm motion.

Temperature Control [Firebending, Air 2] – the spiritual ability to manipulate the ambient temperature. More useful than one might think.

Thrown Weapons – attacking with weapons you have to hurl.

Thrusting Weapons – attacking with weapons where you just have to point the right end at the opponent and push.

Traveling – geography, navigation, and local lore.

Waterbending – a spiritual art used to manipulate the water in the environment.

Blank – if there’s a skill I’ve left out that you want to put dice in, name it and go ahead!

Special – Bending Skills. Airbending, Earthbending, Firebending, and Waterbending are all skills that can be possessed from the start, or learned like any other. However, unless you are the Avatar, you cannot have dice in more than one family of bending skill. Like any other skill, any ability may be used in conjunction with a bending skill, depending on the type of task. Earthbending a sculpture would be a Water check, for example; most probending attacks use Fire, regardless of the bending skill used.

Special – Subforms. To learn a subform, one must have at least one die in the relevant bending skill, and an ability prerequisite. Most checks with a subform will involve the prerequisite ability, although creative use is certainly possible.

Equipment. Equipment in Avatar Cycle is measured not by monetary cost, but by the level of advantage it gives you – the baseline level being no dice, but a well-made item could grant one die, and an exceptionally well-made item could grant up to four. There are no rules for specific types of equipment, but you can acquire any type of good the community might reasonably offer with a Resources check. The obstacle on this check is equal to two more than the equipment’s dice rating. Four-die items cannot be acquired with Resources checks; they must be made yourself with creative skills.

Character Creation. Come up with a character concept for the world of bending, be it a player or an opponent, and arrange dice to suit them. Players start with eight ability dice, twelve skill dice, and four equipment dice, assigned as they see fit. Players cannot start with more than four dice in an ability or two dice in a skill or piece of equipment. Players may have as much zero-dice equipment as seems reasonable. Gamemasters may use as many dice as they want when creating an opponent.

The Avatar. It is probable that a player will wish to create a character who is the Avatar, master of all four elements, only one who can restore balance, great bridge between the humans and the spirits, etc. An Avatar character cannot be created without the agreement of all players and the gamemaster, due to the mechanical power the Avatar possesses and the roleplaying difficulties the position brings. However, an Avatar gains one additional die in all basic bending skills on top of whatever dice they previously possessed, and the ability to enter the Avatar State, which gives ten dice in all bending skills known, unless the skill was originally higher. The gamemaster and Avatar player should determine together whether an event is traumatic enough to trigger the Avatar State; the Avatar State can only be controlled if steps are taken in the story to unlock the Avatar’s chakras.

Advancement. Every time you help or take a complication, mark down that you have learned a lesson. For every ten lessons you learn, you can add another die in any skill that you have used during the game; for every forty lessons, you can add another die in an ability. If you feel like you aren’t learning lessons fast enough, try helping your friends more!

Running the Game. Gamemastering in Avatar Cycle is not a task for people without many Water dice. While a gamemaster has the original series to look to for setting and tone, a gamemaster must be able to come up with obstacles and opponents on the fly. Gamemasters should also seek to encourage character development, teamwork, and player-driven action.

And most importantly. Have fun!

[gregorytjim955-blog]

Prepare Your College Student For Emergencies

"Part III: Survival Equipment

Several of the devices helpful to keep in your Bug-out Load have actually been stated in Parts I as well as II. Other excellent devices to have are additionally sensible items. A couple of great LED flashlights with extra batteries, for lighting the way, signaling, as well as also with shade filters for Dinshah therapies are vital. When you lack batteries you can constantly take the lens and also reflector bent on use or daylight signaling and various other points.

A magnifying glass has numerous usages (fire-starter, analysis, checking out), water resistant suits, flints, and also a magnesium block all assistance when you need fire, as well as great steel woollen can serve as fine tinder when no dry turf or paper is readily available. Candle lights can be used when the flashlight batteries run out, for light, warmth, and also food preparation, as well as wax run-off can be gathered to make use of with the tinder.

A see to an exterior, camping or sporting-goods store can get you a ring-saw (extremely small sharp steel-string with rings to hold it), a compass (discover just how to use one), maps of the area, a water filter, water bags, emergency coverings (we made use of to call them Astronaut blankets; slim reflective mylar), a small plastic mirror, a couple of excellent blades, a tiny hand-crank emergency situation radio, a hand-crank light and the type of flashlight that works by drinking it. A few chemical light-sticks and some dehydrated meals, sea salt, plus a light-weight cook-set complete the supplies.

A synthetic down-fill option sleeping bag is a need, not a luxury, particularly in cold weather areas. Also the desert can come down to freezing at night and in the wintertimes. Look for a mummy bag if you are single or a rectangle-shaped bag that can whiz along with one more if you are paired or have a family. Keeping heat is very important for health as well as healing in addition to morale. The down-alternative artificial fibers will certainly still keep their shielding ability when wet; down will not. A tarp as well as resting bag sack will certainly assist to maintain the bag dry so be sure to include those likewise. Include regarding 100 feet of climbing rope and a couple carabiners 'just in case'.

Those that fit bring guns will likewise have an additional weapon or four, great deals of ammo as well as a gun-cleaning set. There are lots of various other things one could intend to have however these are for a very fundamental Bug-out Pack. Remember, you can only take what you can bring as well as you may need to walk a long way to safety and security. As one whose late hubby was planned for a lengthy war and had his Bug-out Pack prepared to address perpetuity, let me repeat: you can just take what you can carry. I might barely raise the pack after he made one up for me, much less in fact stroll with it. I needed to throw out the canned products, two added weapons, additional 2 gallons of water, four additional knives, and also month's worth of added batteries prior to I might even lift it far enough to put it on without falling over in reverse. Then he handed me the assault rifle and also two extra gallons of water to bring. Yeah, right. I was starting to assume that distilling water from whatever obtained peed out was an excellent concept. Appears odd but you might just need to go there; be prepared."

[caron517gaming-blog]

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As revealed before, many part contributing Fortnite's success are intertwined. Here's a sum up a single sentence: A free-to-play game that's easy to learn and is great excitement to compete along with friends. That here is the reason why Fortnite completely blew up. Fortnite Battle Royale's setting is vibrant and rich, with a storybook quality. PUBG was formerly a big success with the COMPUTER gaming crowd, eventually migrating to a single unit system with a $30 price. Fortnite Battle Royale is released.

Some criminal enterprises may be using Fortnite 's virtual currency to launder money. The Objective story to safety company Sixgill found evidence of criminals purchasing V-bucks in body using stolen credit cards, then pushing the V-Bucks to participants at the reduced value to transform it into "good" money. Note: Please do not install any kind of cuts and certainly not press on any hacking links. If someone outside Fortnite claims to offer you V-Bucks for real change, report this to help Fortnite immediately because paying anyone claiming to sell you V-Bucks could cause the loss of your money.

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The Fortnite Battle Royale game has become a on-line phenomenon, largely as it is multi-platform and free-to-play. But in-game things, like as skins, ought to remain settled operating the in-game currency V-Bucks. With 1000 V-Bucks costing around $10, there is a ready market for discounted coins, and this is where the criminals step in. This page describes an opportunity to be treated a gift card, purchased from a good approved owner, or being driven a direct PayPal payment. The word "Fortnite" is a registered mark of Epic Games Inc. That offer is not sponsored or approved by Epic Games Inc.

Epic is adding X-Ray Llamas to Fortnite's Save the World mode therefore that participants can spot the insides otherwise they get. Epic Games continues to support Fortnite with a few good content and cash almost on a continuous basis. Update 8.10 added new weapons and objects to the sport, but as it seems, they have other important additions in the pipeline as well.

Fortnite stopped off Season 7 with a number of fresh map transformation with skins to observe the holiday season. Research has revealed that Fortnite can be very addictive. Indeed, they have also become received that Fortnite is as addictive as heroin , with individual often-repeated story telling of a child which continued playing the game in the shadow associated with the approaching tornado. Now, Epic Games is locating the cases in place to bring these worlds closer together, CEO Tim Sweeney told Business Insider in the talk with the Game Developers Conference past with Stride. Finally, he about, this program stands to take "Fortnite" outside the rifle, also make it a true online world.

In the challenge of the vast reputation of Fortnite - now a recorded 45 million players - there have been numerous states calling Fortnite addictive for teenagers also getting the game induces competition-related rage. We are not connected with Epic Sport Before Fortnite Games in any way. Players would be able to work on their Fortnite skills in the convenience of creative before testing the talents in the default playlists or newly created arena mode.

When you follow now to the interior Fortnite game you'll be provided rotating missions in the Daily Quest system. After you've completed each one, you'll follow your own free V-Bucks and you'll be able to spend them on items for the Battle Royale mode. Step 1 - Navigate to the Fortnite Gift Cards Generator. In an interesting move, Epic Games said to Fortnite may be downloaded from the Google Play Store. Instead, the organization gives a stand-alone installer in its website requiring players to side-load the game on their devices.

Along with all the daily login rewards mentioned above, You can simply get bonus vbucks fortnite free reward aiding the plan mentioned below. About this special day fortnite giveaway special reward to their player as rare heroes and survivor. One other common way in the scam involves ‘V-Bucks Generators,' which are pages with websites where Fortnite persons are encouraged to enter their own private information, including the financial details.

Videogame review website Eurogamer state it had engaged Fortnite about two weeks heading to the 10-million-player mark. The first step to follow is to eliminate the BattlEye development for the Fortnite game. Sweeney: We strike a Fortnite non-event peak twice after Top stayed absent. We give noticed any obvious cut into Fortnite. This a joke thing. The only game you can see in which it is peaks slice into Fortnite playtime is FIFA. It's another match for everybody, hugely popular around the world.

FORTNITE is among the most popular video activities around the world, but that might not prevent it by having to shut down at some point. Whatever your requirement, Bark will help you find local businesses like Fortnite V Bucks Generator 2019 - Fortnite Free V Bucks Hack. Fast Delivery We understand the benefit of tight escape with the dedicated staff will do anything possible to have the Fortnite V-Bucks order when possible.

Fortnite's free-to-play product has drawn seasoned gamers and newcomers alike, amassing 125 million players in less than a year. The game too holds a faithful eSports following where individuals livestream their favorite Fortnite players , including stars like Drake. Some call they have a way to hack free V-Bucks, technically that not possible without compromising the main Fortnite server, Furthermore compromise like this will be blocked almost immediately.

Fortnite Battle Royale gamers always ask for Fortnite Hack Free unlimited V Bucks Generator to unlock All Premium Entry for days. Some website can suggest Fortnite V-Bucks Generator then disclosed to hack have been released with easy to use screen and incorporated with proxy. Fortnite v7.40 adds 13 Overtime Problem which, if completed before the bottom of Flavor 8 on Feb. 27, will reward players with a open Season 8 Battle Pass. You can and treat a Heartspan Glider to another player to commemorate Valentine's Day. There are and a whole bunch of different twist with the calculation of the Infantry Rifle.

Get your hands with open V-Bucks and accept cool equipment from Fortnite Battle Royale shop. An designer who send the work on DeviantArt has accused Epic Games of stealing among her goals regarding a Fortnite skin. The Taro skin was relieved into December 2018 as part of the Storm Familiars Put. Your Fortnite Counterattack EPIC program will be displayed and emailed to you. The last two Fortnite” dances have yet being decided. As for the competition, Apex Legends” is the new game pushed to beat Fortnite” down their number one spot in the future. But, the new Battle Royale game yet take further to go by taking the crown.

There is no need to download and reinstall Fortnite mod apk as well. Fortnite cheat makes your gameplay much more fun to compete. Just check out your Fortnite V bucks hack page by clicking the knob below. Fortnite redeem systems is updated regularly in this post. Instructions on how to use cheats for Fortnite are given below. It was obvious this would be the next weapon added into Fortnite Battle Royale for many reasons. In the one of the Fortnite Season 8 images, you can see Ember embrace a ribbon. Epic have intensified with further items which have been in the icon including The Baller auto also the Flint-Knock Pistol. It was a theme of phase before the bow was increased.

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Team Secret's Manager of Media George Yao express their side did not see Kyle became barely 13 when they first observed him play Fortnite online. I have tried several websites or enjoying this website for Fortnite v bucks, but I did not a star with any of these. When I went here, I was completely told they did not want to drive any virus in my order with they did not intend our story details. Credit for the work, I got our former free V bucks.

The designer supported, community run subreddit specializing in the Fortnite: Battle Royale game approach by Epic Games. So the next time that someone complains you are playing too much Fortnite, permit them know about some of the following reasons when to the reason a small movie gaming might in fact happened beneficial to you. Fortnite discussion usually revolves around the game's Battle Royale mode, but the original, cooperative Save the World mode is active with ending. Save the earth will reportedly go free-to-play sometime this year, but for now you have to pay at least $39.99 to retrieve it.

In the ocean of video games, Fortnites free-to-play basis did it a little of a boost, but their different part become what helped the game prosper. Let's take a further look at what these different contributing advantages are. iOS: Since Fortnite is available from the iOS App Store, the iTunes gift cards is the best answer below. The Fortnite manual for Heroes , Missions , Rewards and more recorded with sustained with the participants.

According to Epic, it will "appear as a free item for you to take in the in-game Fortnite store" when you have participated in the game. Whether that so clean as put in the app on the call is uncertain, but it seems pretty simple each sense. The massage is to ensure all the required DLLs are there to the purpose you want. With Fortnite, this might be scores of; the correct is to let Epic Games' own devices do the job.

How To Get Free V Challenges In Fortnite? This is the issue that suddenly being introduced through the many Fortnite Game Participants. The aim is because; with V Bucks, you can simply access all the products with Fortnite game. Along with main quest line you also get side missions in fortnite to accomplish, The variety v bucks will be reduced and they might go away faster. So if you find a side quest which is awarding you v bucks then try to finish that on the same day.

In July, 17% of persons which appoint a PUBG purchase also presented a Fortnite purchase, yet merely 1% of participants making a Fortnite purchase also spent on PUBG. So while you're waiting for the experience to download, you'll need to understand on exactly how Fortnite Battle Royale sets itself distant, with whatever you may expect in the new out. If you dont want to replace it manually, theres a program called HRC ( ) that allows people hotkey the motion change and so people dont must receive the revolution everytime you want to play fortnite.